Acute human parvovirus B-19 infection in hospitalized children: A serologic and molecular survey

The extent and clinical manifestations of acute human parvovirus B19 (B19) infection were assessed in previously healthy hospitalized children admitted with clinical syndromes potentially associated the virus.

The study was prospective and was conducted between October 2002 and August 2004 in the pediatric departments of 3 hospitals in Israel. The survey included previously healthy children who were hospitalized with 1 or more of the following acute diseases: acute nonallergic exanthema, fever for >1 week, aplastic anemia or pancytopenia, acute nonbacterial arthropathy, immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) and aseptic meningitis. A control group of children with a proven, non-B19 infection was also studied. Serum samples obtained from each child on admission were tested for B19 DNA by real-time PCR and B19 IgM by ELISA. Acute B19 infection was defined by the following criteria: positive serum B19-DNA and/or B19 IgM, negative serum B19 IgG, and no other proven infection.

Overall, 167 children were included in the study. The mean age was 5.5 +/- 4.6 years (range, 0.5-17), males and females equally divided. Acute B19 infection was demonstrated in 12.6% (n = 21) of the children. Both tests were performed in 19 children and were positive in 10 (53%). In 7 and 2 children, only B19-DNA or B19 IgM, respectively, was positive. Acute B19 infection was documented in 27% (10/39) of children who presented with a variety of acute exanthema diseases; 9% (5/57) of children with acute arthropathy (all 5 had transient synovitis); 10% (2/21) of children with fever >1 week, both presented as mononucleosis syndrome; and in 44% (4/9) of children with transient pancytopenia or aplastic anemia. No acute B19 infection was demonstrated in 15 children with ITP, 9 with HSP, and 6 with aseptic meningitis and among 70 children in the control group. By logistic regression analysis, manifestations significantly associated with acute B19 infection were exanthema (OR 2.9; 95% CI = 1.1-7.5), anemia (OR 6.35; 95% CI = 2.2-18.2) and leucopenia (OR 4.14; 95% CI =1.2-14.2).

Acute B19 infection was documented among 12.6% of children hospitalized with clinical syndrome potentially associated with the virus. Clinical and laboratory features associated with acute B19 infection were exanthema, anemia and leucopenia. Determination of both serum B19-DNA and serum B19 IgM should be performed for the accurate diagnosis of acute B19 infection.