title: Seroprevalence of anti-human parvovirus B19 antibodies in patients attending a centre for sexually transmitted diseases.
abstract: The aim of this study was to establish the serological prevalence of anti-human Parvovirus B19 (HP-B19) antibodies in a group of 321 patients attending a Centre for Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) and epidemiologically examine whether this virus may also be sexually transmitted. For this purpose, the serum prevalence of anti-HP-B19 evaluated in STD patients (39%) was compared with that of 164 healthy blood donors (10%, p < 0.001), using commercially available ELISA methods detecting the anti-VP1 reactivity of the sera. The same STD patients were also analyzed for serum reactivities against 4 STD-causing microorganisms, namely T. pallidum (TPHA), HBV (HBcAb), HCV (HCV-Ab) and HIV (HIV-Ab), to observe possible associations with the serum anti-HP-B19 reactivity. These tests were also carried out with commercially available kits. The results suggest that the serum anti-HP-B19 antibody prevalence in patients with STDs is increased, also independently of their intravenous drug addition and varies with the reactivity pattern determined. In addition, as expected for a STD, the anti-HP-B19 prevalence is increased in homobisexual patients compared with heterosexuals.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Bacteriology, C.N.T.S, Italian Red Cross, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Salvatori
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lavorino
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giglio
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Alemanno
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Carlo
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ameglio
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Caprilli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D001727:Bisexuality; D001782:Blood Donors; D005260:Female; D006716:Homosexuality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010322:Parvoviridae Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016732:Parvovirus B19, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D012384:Rome / Q000453:epidemiology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral