A member asked:

Can a viral infection block the absorption of iron and cause iron deficient anemia?

A doctor has provided 1 answer

Yes (sort of...): Infection can cause inflammation, and through a somewhat poorly understood mechanism, this can lead to anemia. One of the possible mechanisms is a disruption of iron metabolism where iron is inappropriately sequestered in macrophages, making less available to the body for normal red blood cell production.

Answered 9/21/2017

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