Abstract

Parvovirus B19 infection is associated with a wide variety of symptoms and signs, and given that some clinical features, such as anemia, arthropathy and rash may be attributable to other causes, laboratory diagnosis of B19 markers is necessary. The principal aims were to study the behavior of B19 infection-associated diseases in the Chilean population and to compare B19 markers for recent or active infection and for immunity status in patients with clinical symptoms suspicious of B19 infection and control individuals. Sera from a total of 267 patients with diverse clinical manifestations associated with B19 and from 69 healthy controls were tested for B19 DNA using PCR and for specific IgM and immunoglobulin G (IgG) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Out of 267 patients examined, 89 had B19-associated disease markers: 43 had B19 DNA without IgM, 25 had IgM without B19 DNA, and 21 had both B19 DNA and IgM. Also 49 patients were positive only for IgG without B19 DNA or IgM. Out of the 69 healthy controls, only 2 had B19 DNA without IgM and 30 had IgG without B19 DNA and/or IgM. The distribution of the clinical diagnoses associated with recent B19 infection, tested by B19 DNA and/or IgM, included 38.5% with hematological illnesses, 23.4% with rheumatic diseases, 45.7% with infectious diseases, 33.3% with indications of prenatal infection, 32.3% with conditions that induce immunodeficiency, and 15.8% with other miscellaneous conditions. The use of both markers, DNA and IgM, allows a more adequate diagnosis of infection by this virus. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.