Acute infection with parvovirus B19 manifesting as brain stem encephalitis

Diseases associated with Parvovirus B19 infection are well known in pediatrics, obstetrics, and hematology, but the full clinical spectrum of these diseases has not yet been defined. We describe a patient with HIV infection and profound immunosuppression who subsequently developed brain stem encephalitis (rhombencephalitis) and transfusion-dependent anemia as a consequence of Parvovirus B19 infection. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case in which neurological manifestations coincided with evidence of acute infection with Parvovirus B19.