Parvovirus B19 infection of bone marrow in systemic sclerosis patients

Objective To investigate rite prevalence of human parvovirus B19 (B19) infection in t he bone marrow of systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients. Methods Twenty-one consecutive SSc patients and 15 sex- and age-matched subjects wi thout immunological rheumatic diseases were studied for: (i) the presence o f circulating anti-Big antibodies (anti-B19 IgG and IgM type and anti-B19 N S1 IgG) detected by means of standard methodologies, and (ii) B19 genomic s equences in sera and bone man ow biopsy speciimens using a nested-PCR techn ique. Results The presence of B19 DNA was demonstrated in a significant percentage of bon e marrow biopsies from SSc patients (12/21; 57%) and was never detected in the control group (p < 0.01). In no case was the B19 viremia observed, whil e serum anti-B19 NS1 antibodies, possible markers of B19 persistent infecti on, were more frequently detected in SSc patients than in controls (33% vs 13%). SSc patients with bone marrow B19 infection showed a shorter mean dis ease duration than B19-negative patients (5.6 +/- 4.2 vs 12.7 +/- 7.8 yrs; p < 0.01). Conclusions This is the first demonstration of bone marrow B19 infection ill a signific ant percentage of SSc patients. The possible etiopathogenetic role of B19 s hould be verified in a larger patients ser ies and further investigated by means of molecular biology studies.