title: Human parvovirus B19: general considerations and impact on patients with sickle-cell disease and thalassemia and on blood transfusions.
abstract: Human parvovirus B19 (B19V) is a small (22-24 nm) nonenveloped DNA virus belonging to the genus Erythrovirus (family Parvoviridae). Although it generally causes self-limiting conditions in healthy people, B19V infection may have a different outcome in patients with inherited hemolytic anemias. In such high-risk individuals, the high-titer replication may result in bone marrow suppression, triggering a life-threatening drop of hemoglobin values (profound anemia, aplastic crisis). To date there is no consensus concerning a B19V screening program either for the blood donations used in the hemotherapy or for high-risk patients. Moreover, questions such as the molecular mechanisms by which B19V produces latency and persistent replication, the primary site (sites) of B19V infection and B19V immunopathology are far from being known. This review summarizes general aspects of B19V molecular characteristics, pathogenesis and diagnostic approaches with a focus on the role of this pathogen in blood transfusions and in patients with some hemoglobinopathies (sickle-cell disease, thalassemia).
authors.affiliation: Regional Blood Center of Ribeirão Preto, Faculty of Medicine in Ribeirão Preto (FMRP), University of São Paulo (USP), SP, Brazil. svetlyosf@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Svetoslav N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Slavov
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kashima
authors.forename: Ana Cristina Silva
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: Dimas Tadeu
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Covas
mesh_terms: D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000821:virology*; D001782:Blood Donors; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D006801:Humans; D010322:Parvoviridae Infections / Q000097:blood*; D016732:Parvovirus B19, Human; D013789:Thalassemia / Q000821:virology*