PARVOVIRUS B19 INFECTION IN HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS TYPE-1-INFECTED PERSONS FAILING OR INTOLERANT TO ZIDOVUDINE THERAPY

To determine the incidence of B19 infection in patients with AIDS who were being treated with dideoxyinosine, serial sera (n = 28) taken ove r a 2-year period from 14 individuals were analyzed with respect to an ti-B19 serology and the presence of B19 DNA. All 14 individuals were a nti-B19 IgM negative. Nine of 14 had B19 viremia by Southern analysis of polymerase chain reaction product. Five of 9 with B19 viremia had g reater-than-or-equal-to 1 anti-B19 IgG-positive sample; none of 5 with out viremia had anti-B19 IgG. Four of 9 viremic individuals had serial ly positive samples. All 4 had severe anemia (hemoglobin <8.5 g/dL) wh ile taking zidovudine. A fifth individual whose severe anemia resolved after zidovudine was discontinued did not have B19 viremia. Therefore , a significant proportion of this group of patients with AIDS who dev eloped severe anemia while receiving zidovudine had persistent B19 inf ection. These results suggest that B19 infection should be considered in anemic patients with AIDS.