Epidemiological and clinical aspects of Human Parvovirus B19 infection in Córdoba, Argentina, 2005-2009

PEDRANTI MAURO; GHIETTO LUCÍA; WOLF CRISTINA; BARBERO PAULA; ZAPATA MARTA; ADAMO M. PILAR

Buenos Aires

Simposio; III Simposio Internacional de Virología Clínica y Avances en Vacunas; 2010

CEMIC y Sociedad Panamericana de Virología Clinica

< Roman","serif";">Background and objective. The last confirmed case of rubella in Argentina occurred in February, 2009. The circulation of Human Parvovirus B19 (B19V), which also produces a febrile exanthema (FE), has not been characterized locally. Therefore we undertook a study on B19V circulation to estimate its participation as an etiologic agent of FE in Cordoba. Methods. Serum samples from 141 patients with FE, recruited in the context of the national program for epidemiological surveillance and control of measles and rubella between 2005 and 2009, were used to determine B19 infection and immunity markers (all samples were negative for measles and rubella). The age range was 3 months to 37 years old (mean=9.0± 11.0 years old), divided into 4 age groups. Serum samples from 31 healthy individuals covering the same age range were used as control group. Anti-B19V IgM and IgG were determined by ELISA assays, and the presence of viral DNA was detected by nested-PCR with primers for VP2. Results. The percentages of positive samples were: IgM=20.2%, DNA =18.4% and IgG=51.4%. No IgM+ was detected among samples from 2005 (due to the half-life of antibody preserved at -20°C). Percentages of IgM+ samples were 10.0% in 2006, 39.1% in 2007, 23.3% in 2008 and 9.7% in 2009, while the distribution of positives by age group was as follows:   20 years". This alerts susceptible women, given the potential of B19V to cause fetal damage when infection occurs during gestation. The results indicate an epidemic peak in 2007, allowing expecting another in 2011/12. The presence of viral DNA on some IgM- samples suggests viral persistence in a generally considered acute infection.