title: Detection of parvovirus B19 in fetal autopsies.
abstract: In a 10-year retrospective study we examined the incidence of parvovirus B19 (B19)-related hydrops fetalis in fetal autopsies (n = 1,299) carried out between 1982 and 1991. Intrauterine death had occurred in 399 cases (30.7%); in 42 (10.5%) of these hydrops fetalis was diagnosed. Of these 42 hydropic fetuses, parvovirus B19 infection was identified in 6 (14.3%) cases by the presence of typical erythroblastic nuclear inclusions in hematoxylin-eosin stained tissue and the diagnosis was confirmed by in situ hybridization using a Digoxigenin-labelled B19 DNA probe. The study shows that the overall incidence of B19-associated intrauterine death associated with hydrops fetalis is low. However, B19 infection should be considered in all cases of hydrops fetalis.
authors.affiliation: Max von Pettenkofer Institute for Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: T F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Schwarz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nerlich
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hillemanns
mesh_terms: D001344:Autopsy; D001706:Biopsy; D002423:Cause of Death; D015342:DNA Probes; D016731:Erythema Infectiosum / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004900:Erythroblasts / Q000473:pathology; D004908:Erythrocyte Inclusions; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D015160:Hydrops Fetalis / Q000382:microbiology*; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D015994:Incidence; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D015342:DNA Probes