EPO and anemia: In a study of 179 infected patients, 20.3% had a positive Coombs test (mainly IgG), though no cases of autoimmune hemolysis were found; Coombs-positive patients had more severe anemia, required more transfusions and intensive care, and showed an inflammatory anemia pattern with elevated hepcidin and ferritin but inappropriately low EPO and erythroferrone, with iron metabolism markers correlating with disease severity [22].