acquired causes

Last reviewed 01/2018

Known acquired causes of aplastic anaemia include:

• drugs:
• the drug and/or their metabolites may be directly toxic
• an immune-mediated mechanism may be involved
• aplasia may develop weeks or months after initiation of treatment, or follow after the drug has been discontinued

• chemicals - mechanism is unknown and the effect idiosyncratic

• radiation

• infection:
• aplasia may develop concurrently with or following a variety of viral infections
• may be severe following hepatitis C infection and is accompanied by lymphocytopenia and cellular immune deficiency

• rheumatic and immunological disorders

• malnutrition e.g. Kwashiorkor

• thymoma

• pregnancy