A 10-year-old girl is brought to the physician for a follow-up examination. Vitals are normal. Physical examination shows scleral icterus. Her father has a history of cholecystectomy and splenectomy as a teenager. Laboratory studies show:
Hemoglobin 9 g/dL
Mean corpuscular volume 85 fL
Red cell distribution width 13% (NR12-16)
Platelets 300,000/μL
WBCs 8,000/μL
Which of the following is the most likely explanation for these findings?
