Case report: Parvovirus B19 encephalitis following rituximab therapy in a patient with immune-mediated thrombocytopenia
B lymphocytes and severe hypogammaglobulinemia. This case highlights the role of impaired humoral immunity in facilitating viral persistence within the CNS and emphasizes the need to consider parvovirus B19 and other uncommon pathogens as a potential cause of encephalitis in patients with prior anti-CD20 therapy, even months after treatment completion.
Authors
- Guglielmo Lucchese (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1809-6376)
- Dietrich Sturm
- Martin Kitzrow
- Valerio Campolo
Institutions
- University of Salento (IT)
- Universitätsmedizin Greifswald (DE)
- Bethesda Hospital (IN)
- Klinik für Psychosomatik (DE)
- Agaplesion Bethesda Klinik (DE)
- Ospedale Vito Fazzi (IT)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Frontiers in Immunology
- Published
- 2026-04-17
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2026.1698621
- Primary Topic
- Parvovirus B19 Infection Studies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Universität Greifswald