Aplastic anemia: bone marrow failure causing low RBCs, WBCs and platelets—fatigue, infections and bleeding.
- Causes pancytopenia: low red cells, white cells, and platelets.
- Symptoms: severe fatigue, frequent infections, mouth ulcers, and bleeding/bruising.
- Diagnosis requires CBC, reticulocyte count and bone marrow biopsy.
Aplastic anemia is a condition where the bone marrow stops making enough blood cells. This leads to anemia (low hemoglobin), leukopenia (low white cells) and thrombocytopenia (low platelets).
Because white cells are low, infections can become severe quickly. Fever in aplastic anemia is an emergency and needs urgent evaluation and antibiotics.
Treatment depends on severity and age and may include immunosuppressive therapy, transfusion support, and bone marrow transplant in eligible patients. Long-term follow-up with a hematology team is essential.