[Acute vasculitis and arthritis caused by Parvovirus B 19 infection]

A 35-year old woman was admitted with fever, polyarthritis and severe vasculitis. The symptoms resolved spontaneously within a week. Two weeks later, her seven year old son developed erythema on arms and legs and the typical "slapped cheek syndrome" characteristic of erythema infectiosum. Both cases were due to acute infection with Parvovirus B 19 as demonstrated by the presence of IgM-antibodies to Parvovirus B 19. The cases are described in order to draw attention to the possibility of Parvovirus B 19 infection as the etiological agent for acute vasculitis in adults.