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Published on: May 16, 2020
Human parvovirus B19 associated dilated cardiomyopathy
Parul Jain1, Amita Jain, Danish Nasar Khan
1Department of Microbiology, KG Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Insights
Two children with acute heart dysfunction were diagnosed with parvovirus B19 infection. One recovered spontaneously, while the other improved with heart failure therapy and calcium supplementation.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Virology
Background:
- Acute left ventricular dysfunction in children can be associated with viral infections.
- Dilated cardiomyopathy requires prompt diagnosis and management.
Observation:
- Two pediatric cases of acute left ventricular dysfunction with dilated cardiomyopathy were investigated.
- Testing included a broad range of cardiotropic viruses and serological assays.
Findings:
- Both patients tested positive for parvovirus B19 infection.
- One child recovered fully without specific treatment; the other improved with standard heart failure management and calcium/vitamin D supplementation.
- Sequence analysis identified parvovirus B19 genotype 3 in both cases, marking the first report from India.
Implications:
- Parvovirus B19 should be considered in the differential diagnosis of pediatric acute heart dysfunction.
- Genotype 3 parvovirus B19 is circulating in India and can cause significant cardiac morbidity.
- Early diagnosis and supportive care are crucial for managing parvovirus B19-associated cardiomyopathy.
Abstract:
We describe two children presenting with acute left ventricular dysfunction. Both cases had evidence of dilated cardiomyopathy, requiring inotropic support and were tested for cardiotropic viruses by conventional or real-time polymerase chain reaction using specific primers for enteroviruses, human parvovirus B19, Adenoviruses, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2 (HSV), human herpes virus-6 (HHV-6) and cytomegalovirus (CMV). IgG and IgM antibodies against parvovirus B19, EBV, HSV and CMV were also tested by ELISA. One case tested positive for parvovirus B19 infection and recovered completely within 6 months in absence of any specific therapy. The other case tested positive for parvovirus B19 infection in association with hypocalcaemia and was cured following standard heart failure therapy along with calcium and vitamin D supplementation. Sequence analysis of DNA products from both patients revealed genotype 3. To best of our knowledge this is first report of circulating genotype 3 from India.
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