Parvovirus B19 and C-reactive protein in blood bank donors: implications for hygiene hypothesis research

Abstract

Exposure to certain environmental factors during childhood may influence the developing immune system, causing predisposing or protective effects toward development of autoimmune disorders. This study examines the hypothesis that past infection with parvovirus B19, a common childhood infection, is associated with altered levels of subclinical inflammatory activity in presumably healthy adults. Qualitative anti-parvovirus B19 IgG antibody and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein were determined in serum samples from adult blood bank donors. C-reactive protein values of B19 IgG-positive and B19 IgG-negative groups were compared. Analysis was performed on 282 blood bank donor serum samples. Among donors aged 17-49 years (n = 152), B19 IgG-positive samples (57.9%) were associated with significantly lower C-reactive protein levels compared with B19 IgG-negative samples (median C-reactive protein: 1.30 mg/l vs. 2.65 mg/l; p = 0.012 unadjusted (Mann-Whitney U-test); p = 0.014 adjusted for gender and age (logistic regression)). Among donors aged >49 years, median C-reactive protein levels were identical by B19 IgG status. The association of B19 IgG antibody with lower C-reactive protein levels in the serum of younger adults supports the hypothesis that infection in childhood may contribute long-term beneficial adaptive immune responses.

Seroprevalence, molecular epidemiology and quantitation of parvovirus B19 DNA levels in Iranian blood donors

“…The seroprevalence of B19 IgG varies greatly by region and time of B19 epidemic. Previous studies revealed that the prevalence of B19 in blood donor population is variable from 6 to 82.3% for IgG 0.35–7.53% for IgM and 0.01–15.3% for both IgM and IgG. We showed B19 IgG in 27.6%, B19 IgM in 2.6%, and IgG and IgM in 0.2% of our blood donors which are comparable with these results.…”

“…The prevalence of B19 DNA among blood donors reported from 0 to 1.3% and the B19 IgG prevalence reported from 6 to 82.3% globally . Therefore, B19 infection is common among blood donors, and apparently healthy blood donors can transmit virus via transfusion .…”

Human parvovirus B19 frequency among blood donors after an epidemic outbreak: relevance of the epidemiological scenario for transfusion medicine

“…Prevalence of specific IgG determined in a representative sample was 78%, which is higher than the local prevalence in asymptomatic controls in 2007 and 2012 [24,38] and the prevalence in Chile (55%), Brazil (60%), Australia and England (60%) [29,44,45,46]. Some attribute a higher prevalence in developing countries to widespread circulation and greater transmission of the virus in insufficient conditions of hygiene and bioprotection [21].…”