In case you are interested in the common causes of aplastic anemia you should know that the problem occurs when drainage occurs to the bone marrow, shutting or slowing down the production of blood cells. In this case the bone marrow is said to be aplastic (meaning empty or carrying very few blood cells).

Common Causes of Aplastic Anemia

Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy

It is a known fact that while the therapy is able to kill the cancerous cells, it also damages the healthy cells, including the cells of the bone marrow. The good news is that in this case the side effects are only temporary and the anemia will go away with time.

Toxic Chemicals

The toxic chemicals, such as the ones used in insecticides and pesticides can become one of the common origins of aplastic anemia. Being exposed to benzene can also result in anemia. It is possible for the anemia to get better on its own if exposure to these chemicals is limited.

Drugs

When looking for the common causes of aplastic anemia you should know that some of the drugs can result in anemia. These include the drugs used to treat arthritis and some of the antibiotics. In this case you should talk to your doctor about the possible side effects of the drugs.

Autoimmune Disorders

It is important to know about the common aplastic anemia origins that in case of the autoimmune diseases the cells of the body start attacking other healthy cells. It is possible for the bone marrow cells to be attacked and in this case they won’t be able to continue producing blood cells.

Viral Infection

These infections can affect the bone marrow and thus they can become one of the common causes of aplastic anemia. The viruses that can cause effects of this kind include Epsetin-Barr, hepatitis, HIV and parvovirus B19.

Pregnancy

Although this isn’t an illness, it can become a risk factor for aplastic anaemia during pregnancy. In this case the anemia is linked to an autoimmune problem. Just as in case of other autoimmune diseases, the cells of the body attack the healthy cells, resulting in anemia.

Although there are some common causes of aplastic anemia, you should know that in some cases the cause of the problem remains unknown. In this case the condition is known as idiopathic anemia. The sad truth is that in this case the doctor can only treat the symptoms.