PARVOVIRUS B19 INFECTIONS IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC ANEMIA

Background and Objective. Parvovirus B19 has a marked tropism for eryt hroid progenitor cells and this may lead to chronic anemia in predispo sed individuals. it was the purpose of the present study to investigat e prospectively the frequency of parvovirus B19 infections in patients with a diagnosis of chronic anemia. Methods and Results. Evidence of parvovirus B19 infection was found in 13/43 (30%) patients by demonstr ating viral DNA and/or specific IgM antibodies through the use of PCR and ELISA techniques. Parvovirus B19 infection was established in 4 of 7 patients with hemolytic anemia, in 2 of 3 patients with pure red ce ll aplasia, in 2 of 9 patients with myelodysplastic syndrome, and in 2 of 10 patients with aplastic anemia. In 8 of the 13 positive patients only parvovirus B19 DNA could be detected, while 4 patients tested po sitive for both parvovirus B19 DNA and specific IgM. In the remaining positive patient only specific IgM could be detected. Conclusions. Sin ce no predictive paraclinical or clinical features were observed we re commend that all cases of chronic anemia be tested for the presence of parvovirus B19 infection. Due to the discrepancies between DNA and Ig M results, the diagnostic procedures should include a search for speci fic DNA by PCR methods if specific IgM has been found to be negative. (C) 1997, Ferrata Storti Foundation.