Clinicohaematological profile of infections in bone marrow – single centre experience in North Himalayan region of India

The bone marrow examination in cases of infections may be non-specific but certain reactive changes may raise high index of suspicion of infections. The present study from a tertiary centre in the North Himalayan region of India describes the clinicohaematological profile and the changes associated with infections in the marrow. The study included all the cases of infections in which bone marrow examination was done during the period between January 2006 and July 2010. Leishmaniasis was the most common infection observed and most of the patients presented with fever along with anaemia and pancytopenia. Bone marrow examination showed predominantly transient myelodysplasia, plasmacytosis, and hemophagocytosis along with associated fibrosis and necrosis. Another important feature observed was accumulation of mature plasma cells around capillaries along with increased iron stores in the marrow. Thus, these features are important indicators of infections and should lead to their vigilant search in the patient.