Rheumatic manifestations of parvovirus B19 in children

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.

Keywords

Parvovirus B19 - rheumatology - pediatrics - juvenile idiopathic arthritis - systemic lupus erythematosus - juvenile dermatomyositis - vasculitis - immune thrombocytopenic purpura - hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis