Experimental Parvoviral Infection in Humans

Abstract

Healthy adult volunteers were inoculated intranasally with human parvovirus obtained from an asymptomatic blood donor. One week after inoculation, intense viremia was observed in seronegative volunteers, accompanied by a mild illness with pyrexia, malaise, myalgia, itching, and excretion of virus from the respiratory tract. In the following week hematologic studies revealed reticulocytopenia with an associated slight drop in hemoglobin concentration, lymphopenia, neutropenia, and a drop in platelet counts. At 17-18 days after inoculation a second-phase illness with rash and arthralgia lasting three to four days occurred in three of four infected volunteers. This study confirms the etiologic role of human parvovirus in erythematous rash illness, with the second-phase illness being consistent with adult cases of erythema infectiosum. Moreover, the hematologic changes associated with infection support the hypothesis that the same virus is responsible for the temporary arrest of erythropoiesis that leads to aplastic crisis in persons with chronic hemolytic anemia.

Seroprevalence of human parvovirus B19 in healthy blood donors

“…The virus is associated with arthropathies, hepatitis and various other syndromes and diseases. 1 Specific immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG antibodies are produced following experimental 2 and natural 3 B19 infection. Infection follows a biphasic clinical course: One week after intranasal inoculation with B19 in healthy adult volunteers, viraemia is detected in seronegative individuals accompanied by a mild illness with pyrexia, malaise, myalgia, itching, and excretion of virus from the respiratory tract.…”

Seroprevalence of parvovirus B19 infection in daycare educators

“…Maternal infection during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of hydrops fetalis and fetal loss [2]. Experimental inoculation of human volunteers has shown that the major route of shedding of parvovirus B19 is respiratory secretions (saliva and nasal fluids), and that shedding occurs before the onset of symptoms [3]. IgG antibodies to parvovirus B19 can be detected in serum 2-3 weeks after acquisition of infection and last for life, providing immunity against re-infection [4].…”

Baculovirus expression of parvovirus B19 (B19V) NS1: utility in confirming recent infection

“…Since its discovery in 1975, parvovirus B19 (B19V) has been identified as the causative agent of a number of clinical conditions in humans (Anderson et al, 1985;Kurtzman et al, 1987). The spectrum of symptoms caused by B19V, including rash, arthralgia and transient aplastic crisis, are generally self-limiting in healthy individuals.…”