Affiliations: Division of Adult and Pediatric Rheumatology, Saint
Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
Note: [] Correspondence: Terry L. Moore, M.D., Room 211A Doisy Hall, 1402
South Grand Blvd., Saint Louis, MO 63104, USA. Tel.: +314 977 8838; Fax: +314
977 8818; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: It is well known that parvovirus B19 causes erythema infectiosum, a
common febrile exanthema of childhood. Studies have also shown that parvovirus
B19 can cause chronic arthropathy in children, and some children may meet
classification criteria for juvenile idiopathic arthritis. A child's anti-B19
antibodies may cross-react with other antigens leading to autoantibody
formation and immune complex deposition. This process can cause a similar
clinical picture to systemic lupus erythematosus, and in some cases has been
implicated in initiation of disease. Parvovirus B19 has also been linked to the
presence of antiphospholipid antibodies, juvenile dermatomyositis,
vasculitides, immune thrombocytopenic purpura, and hemophagocytic
lymphohistiocytosis. This review provides an extensive evaluation of the
literature on parvovirus B19 and its role in rheumatic diseases in
children.
