Global Distribution of Human Protoparvoviruses

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Immunology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Next-generation sequencing and metagenomics have enabled the discovery of novel viruses, including three human protoparvoviruses: bufavirus, tusavirus, and cutavirus.
• These viruses have been identified in clinical samples, such as feces from children with diarrhea and skin biopsies from patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the seroprevalence of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies against bufavirus, tusavirus, and cutavirus in diverse human populations.
• To determine the geographic distribution and identify potential endemic areas for these human protoparvoviruses.

Main Methods:

• Serological analysis of IgG antibodies against bufavirus, tusavirus, and cutavirus.
• Study included 840 individuals from various global populations, including Finland, the United States, Iraq, Iran, and Kenya.

Main Results:

• Bufavirus IgG seroprevalence varied significantly by geography, with high rates in Iraq (84.8%), Iran (56.1%), and Kenya (72.3%), but low rates in Finland (1.9%) and the United States (3.6%).
• Cutavirus IgG was detected at low prevalences (0%-5.6%) across all studied populations.
• Tusavirus IgG antibodies were not detected in any of the study cohorts.

Conclusions:

• Bufavirus exhibits a striking geographic disparity in seroprevalence, suggesting specific endemic regions.
• The findings provide crucial insights into the global distribution patterns of human protoparvoviruses.
• Further research is warranted to understand the clinical significance and transmission dynamics of these viruses in different regions.