title: Frequency and significance of parvovirus B19 infection in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: The present study aims to clarify the possible involvement of parvovirus B19 (B19V) infection in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pathogenesis by investigating the presence of B19V infection markers (genomic sequences and virus-specific antibodies) in association with the level of cytokines and RA clinical activity and aggressiveness. A total of 118 RA patients and 49 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers were enrolled in the study. Nested PCR was used to detect B19V sequences in whole blood and cell-free plasma DNA, ELISA to detect virus-specific antibodies and cytokine levels in plasma and recomLine dot blot assay for antibodies to separate B19V antigens. The detection frequency of B19V DNA was higher in patients with RA (25.4 %) in comparison with healthy persons (18.4 %). B19V DNA in cell-free plasma (B19+p) was detected significantly often in RA patients in comparison with healthy controls (13.6 vs 2 %; P=0.0002). RA B19+p patients had higher disease activity and aggressiveness, decreased haemoglobin and increased erythrocyte sedimentation rates. IL-6 plasma levels were significantly higher in RA patients than in controls. Within the RA patients' group the IL-6 level was significantly increased in B19+p patients with disease activity scores of DAS28>5.2, high C-reactive protein and low haemoglobin. Contrary to the healthy controls, the majority of RA B19+p patients did not have antibodies to VP-1S (VP1u) and VP-N (N-terminal half of structural proteins VP1 and VP2), which correspond to the epitopes of neutralizing antibodies. These results indicate that B19V infection at least in some patients is involved in RA pathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, State Research Institute Centre for Innovative Medicine, Santariskiu 5, Vilnius LT 08406, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Milda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Naciute
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, State Research Institute Centre for Innovative Medicine, Santariskiu 5, Vilnius LT 08406, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mieliauskaite
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, State Research Institute Centre for Innovative Medicine, Santariskiu 5, Vilnius LT 08406, Lithuania.|Centre of Rheumatology, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rugiene
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, State Research Institute Centre for Innovative Medicine, Santariskiu 5, Vilnius LT 08406, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nikitenkiene
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious, Chest Diseases, Dermatovenerology and Alergology and Hospital Santariskiu klinikos Centre of Infectious Diseases, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Ligita
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jancoriene
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, State Research Institute Centre for Innovative Medicine, Santariskiu 5, Vilnius LT 08406, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Mykolas
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mauricas
authors.affiliation: A. Kirchenstein Institute of Microbiology and Virology, Riga Stradins University, Riga, Latvia.
authors.forename: Zaiga
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Nora-Krukle
authors.affiliation: A. Kirchenstein Institute of Microbiology and Virology, Riga Stradins University, Riga, Latvia.
authors.forename: Modra
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Murovska
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, State Research Institute Centre for Innovative Medicine, Santariskiu 5, Vilnius LT 08406, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Irute
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Girkontaite
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood / Q000821:virology*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010322:Parvoviridae Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000821:virology*; D016732:Parvovirus B19, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D002097:C-Reactive Protein