Fortnightly Review: Parvovirus B19: an expanding spectrum of disease

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Abstract
#### Summary points Parvoviruses are small round viruses with a single stranded DNA genome that lack a lipid envelope (fig 1). They are widespread, and in veterinary medicine several are recognised as notable pathogens causing a range of diseases that includes reproductive failure. Animal parvoviruses are not, however, transmissible to humans, and pregnant women are not at risk. The first human parvoviruses to be recognised were adeno-associated viruses. These viruses replicate only in the presence of a helper virus, a function provided by adenoviruses or other large DNA viruses. Antibodies to adenoviruses are found in human populations, but the viruses are not pathogenic. They cause latent infection by integrating into the human chromosome and have attracted interest as potential vectors for human gene therapy. fig1 Electron micrograph of B19 isolate showing morphology typical of a parvovirus (final magnification x157000) Parvovirus B19, the first known pathogenic human parvovirus, was discovered by chance in healthy blood donors being screened for hepatitis B.1 The name comes from the single isolate within a panel of hepatitis …