[Atypical cutaneous manifestations of B19 parvovirus infection in children]

The most well-known skin manifestation of human parvovirus B19 infection is erythema infectiosum, also known as fifth disease. In atypical cases, particularly among young adults, purpuric-petechial glove-and-sock syndrome (PPGSS) is observed, which is a condition characterized by a symmetrical distribution in the acral areas. Its onset is attributed to the active viremia phase; therefore, patients exhibiting symptoms are contagious, which is of particular importance in the case of immunocompromised individuals and pregnant women. In our report, we present three cases: in two patients, the skin manifestations appeared as an atypical petechial-purpuric exanthem, while in the third child, they manifested as pityriasis rosea; to our knowledge, the parvovirus-associated form of this condition has not been described in the literature to date. During laboratory testing, in addition to typical abnormalities, we observed monocytosis in the blood counts of all three patients. Detecting the virus or the virus-specific antibody response is a highly challenging, comprehensive microbiological task in which molecular tests play a key role alongside serological tests. With our cases, we wish to draw attention to the rising prevalence of diseases caused by parvovirus B19, the periodic clusters and small outbreaks, the appearance of unusual skin symptoms, and the difficulties in detecting the virus. Orv Hetil. 2026; 167(41): 1669-1675.