PARVOVIRUS B19 INFECTION NEW PATHOPHYSIOL OGICAL PERSPECTIVES

Knowledge of the pathophysiological mechanisms governing Parvovirus B1 9 infection has been modified with the recent discovery of its cellula r receptor. The cell lines susceptible to infection can be identified on the basis of the nature and distribution of the virus in the human organism. The Parvovirus B19 can undergo two types of cycles within th e host cell. The first is a complete cycle within the infected fell le ading to cell death by lysis. In the second, the cycle aborts and cell death is caused by an association of immunological phenomena and the accumulation of viral proteins toxic to the cell. It is not known why complete cycles are restricted to a single erythrocyte line. These new data not only give a more precise explanation of the classical clinic al expression of the disease, but also suggest possible mechanisms for the pathogenic power of the Parvovirus B19, some of which have alread y been proposed on the basis of clinical observations.