Seroprevalence of parvovirus B19NS1-specific IgG in B19-infected and uninfected individuals and in infected pregnant women

Parvovirus B19 is the causative agent of erythema infectiosum in children, but the virus is associated with an increasing range of different diseases. These include acute and chronic arthritis, hydrops fetalis in pregnant wom en, aplastic anemia, and thrombocytopenia. The host's immune response is di rected against the viral structural proteins VP1 and VP2. This study invest igated the presence of IgG against the viral nonstructural protein NS1 usin g Western blot. Serum panels from healthy individuals, B19-infected pregnan t women, and various disease groups were tested. The disease groups include d patients with symptoms that may be linked to parvovirus B19 infection. Th e results showed that IgG against the NS1 protein was present in 22% of hea lthy individuals with past B19 infection. In cases of persistent or prolong ed B19 infections, the prevalence of NS1-specific antibodies was as high as 80%. It is concluded that NS1-specific IgG may be used as an indicator of chronic or more severe courses of parvovirus B19 infections. J. Med. Virol. 60:48-55, 2000. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.