Low prevalence of active parvovirus B19 infection in HIV-infected patients

In a prospective study to determine the prevalence of parvovirus B19 in adult patients positive for the human immunodeficiency virus, a series of 55 consecutively presenting patients was tested for antibodies to parvovirus B19 and parvovirus B19 DNA. Specific IgG antibodies were detected in 96% of cases; specific IgM antibodies were present in 10%. Viral DNA was not detected in any of the sera analysed by polymerase chain reaction. Anemia could not be correlated with the presence of either IgG or IgM antibodies to parvovirus B19. Thus, no evidence of acute or chronic parvovirus B19 infection was found in the 55 patients. These findings suggest that active parvovirus B19 infection is uncommon in HIV-infected patients.