Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of human parvovirusB19 infections during 20062008 in northern Greece

Abstract number: P576

Exindari M., Chatzidimitriou D., Melidou A., Gioula G., Diza-Mataftsi E.

Objectives: Parvovirus B19 infects children and adults causing erythema infectiosum, polyarthritis, aplastic crisis in patients with chronic haemolytic anaemia, rash, fever, and foetal anaemia-related disease or foetal death.

The aim of this effort was to study acute human parvovirus B19 infections during the years 2006–2008 in northern Greece on their epidemiological and clinical aspect.

Methods: Specimens were obtained from 56 patients suspected for acute h. parvovirus B19 infection (17 in 2006, 29 in 2007, and 10 in 2008). 27 of them belonged to children (1 day – 15 years old) and 29 to adults (17–65 years old). The infection was proved by PCR amplifying a 227 bp DNA segment, part of the viral gene VP1, in whole blood and in two cases in pleural fluid. Detection of specific IgM antibodies in the patients' blood serum was performed by ELISA.

Results: 19 out of the 56 specimens were found to be positive by PCR (33.9%): 3/17 (17.6%) in 2006, and 16/29 (55.2%) in 2007, p = 0.03. Specific IgM antibodies were detected in all 19 positive patients. 10 positive specimens belonged to children and 9 to adults, p = 0.64.

Children presented with haematological disorders, mainly types of anaemia (six cases), hydrothorax/ascites (two cases), arthritis (one case), and liver transplant rejection (one case). Adults presented with pregnancy complications (two cases), arthralgia/arthritis (three cases), febrile syndromes (three cases, two of them on SLE and one on chronic haemoglobinopathy background), and atypical rash (one case).

Conclusions: An annual variation in the circulation of h. parvovirus B19 was observed, presenting a statistically significant increase of acute infections during 2007 in northern Greece.

Children and adults were equally affected, however differences in clinical manifestations were observed between them, with haematological dysfunctions predominant in childhood.