[Parvovirus B19 infection--a meningococcus-like sepsis]

Two otherwise healthy adults with fever and haemorrhagic exanthema are described. In both, primary human parvovirus infection was diagnosed. The clinical picture of fever and haemorrhagic exanthema should always arouse suspicion of serious disease such as meningococcal infection. If the patient is unaffected, however, primary human parvovirus infection should be borne in mind.