EPO and kidney failure: The etiology of post-heart transplant anemia is multifactorial and includes medications (e.g., those used as immunosuppressive and antimicrobial prophylaxis), perioperative bleeding, decrease in intestinal absorption of vitamins, renal failure, and low levels of erythropoietin, and elevated levels of hepcidin associated with inflammation and reduced availability of iron.[4] However, the incidence of B19V infection after transplantation is not clear.