Vitamin B12 Deficiency Presenting as Pancytopenia with Hepatosplenomegaly in an Infant

Abstract

Deficiency of vitamin B₁₂ due to nutritional insufficiency is common in developing part of world. Serum vitamin B₁₂ level in infants is determined by the foetal storage during pregnancy. Therefore, evaluation on vitamin B₁₂ level during pregnancy is essential for prevention of vitamin B₁₂ deficiency in infancy. Here we report a vitamin B₁₂ deficient infant who presented with hepatosplenomegaly with pancytopenia including normocytic anaemia and circulating atypical cells. It is also a reminder to clinicians about the uncommon manifestation of vitamin B₁₂ deficiency which mimics haematological malignancy.