Molecular method to test if Parvovirus B19 is a new virus to the Old World

Parvovirus B19 (PVB19) is a non-trivial cause of morbidity and mortality in young individuals from diseases such as aplastic anemia and hydrops fetalis. Curiously, given this significant disease burden, the one genetic phenotype known to protect against PVB19 infection--the p red-cell phenotype characterized by the lack on any P group antigens on erythrocytes--is extremely rare with a prevalence of only approximately 1/200,000. One explanation is that PVB19 is a new virus to the Old World. It is pointed out in this paper that recently developed powerful genetic methods can be used to test this proposal. Confirmation that PVB19 is a new virus could shed light on the etiology of rheumatoid arthritis.