Parvovirus
Also known as: Fifth Disease
What is it?
Parvovirus, or fifth disease, is a temporary
illness caused by the virus B19. Known as a
childhood disease, it can also affect adults.
About 50 percent of adults have been infected with
parvovirus but don’t remember having it because it
often does not cause symptoms.
Who gets it?
Parvovirus generally occurs in children between
five to fifteen years of age, but can affect any
age group, including adults. It most commonly
occurs during the winter and spring. Patients who
have a compromised immune system, sickle cell
anaemia and women who are pregnant are at a
greater risk for developing parvovirus. Although
most pregnant women who have parvovirus go onto to
deliver a healthy infant at tern, the B19 virus
can cross the placenta, infect the fetus and cause
fetal loss in about ten percent of pregnancies.
Once exposed to the virus, a patient won’t
contract it again.
What causes it?
Caused by the B19 virus, parvovirus is spread
mostly by droplets when an infected person coughs
or sneezes. Usually, parvovirus can only be spread
when the flu-like symptoms are present and before
the rash develops. However, people infected with
parvovirus that also have certain blood disorders
or have impaired immune systems may be contagious
for extended periods. Additionally, transmission
of the B19 virus has recently been documented
through blood transfusion from an infected blood
donor.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms of parvovirus can develop four to
fourteen days after exposure to the virus.
Patients diagnosed with parvovirus typically
exhibit flu-like symptoms including low-grade
fever and a bright red rash on the cheeks. A red,
lace-like rash can develop over the rest of the
body and may last for five days to a week.
Four out of five adults with parvovirus can
have joint aches and pains. This arthritis is
usually temporary, lasting days to weeks, but may
become a long-term problem lasting several months.
People with arthritis from parvovirus usually have
stiffness in the morning, with redness and
swelling of the same joints on both sides of the
body. The joints most commonly involved are the
knees, fingers, and wrists.
Rarely, patients with parvovirus have
difficulties forming a normal number of white and
red blood cells, a complication that can be fatal.
How is it diagnosed?
Since parvovirus is often mistaken for rubella
or measles, an accurate diagnosis is important. A
doctor will first perform an examination to look
for the typical symptoms, such as a fever and
rash. The doctor may also perform several other
laboratory saliva tests to rule out other
diseases.
What is the treatment?
A doctor may treat parvovirus by prescribing
fluids, acetaminophen and rest. Antibiotics are of
no use in the treatment of parvovirus since it is
a viral illness. In patients with persistent
arthritis, anti-inflammatory medications, such as
ibuprofen or naproxen, can be used.
In cases of fetal B19 infection, treatment may
include intrauterine blood transfusions. This
treatment has been controversial, but a study
conducted during the epidemic years of 1993 and
1994 found a higher rate of survival of fetuses
that had transfusions compared with those that had
not.
Self-care tips
People with compromise immune systems, sickle
cell anemia and pregnant women (who have not
previously had the illness) should avoid contact
with patients who have parvovirus.
A vaccine for parvovirus B19 infection is
currently being developed. If the vaccine is
proven safe and effective, it could be given to
infants at the same time as the triple vaccine
(mumps, measles, and rubella).
This information has been designed as a comprehensive and quick reference
guide written by our health care reviewers. The health information written
by our authors is intended to be a supplement to the care provided by your
physician. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for
professional medical advice.
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