Human parvovirus B19-induced vesiculopustular skin eruption

Erythema infectiosum, fifth disease, is a usually benign macular or maculopapular exanthem of childhood caused by the human parvovirus B19. A 27-year-old woman with a serologically documented human parvovirus infection who presented with a hemorrhagic exanthem and enanthem with areas of pustules and pseudo-pustules is described. The histologic findings were unusual because they combined the histologic features of morbilliform and vesiculopustular viral lesions. This case serves to underscore the occurrence of human parvovirus infection in adults. Further, it demonstrates the need to include parvovirus infection in the differential diagnosis of virally induced vesiculopustular skin eruptions.