diagnosis

Last reviewed 03/2022

Diagnosis of parvovirus B19 infection is done by measuring (1)

  • specific IgM and IgG antibodies to parvovirus B19
    • IgM is useful in diagnosing acute infection in immuncompetent patients
    • sensitivity is 89% and specificity is 99% (2)
    • IgM is seen 10–12 days after infection and usually persists for another 3-4 months (occasionally for a longer period) (1)
    • presence of IgG without IgM indicates previous infection of more than two months (3)
    • in the absence of both IgG and IgM, a second serum test should be done one month after the contact date or after symptoms appear
      • if IgM is detected a further test should be done within 7 to 10 days and if felt appropriate refer the patient to a reference laboratory for confirmation of the test (3)
    • B19 DNA in blood or tissue samples through PCR (1)
      • B19 DNA can be detected in serum, bone marrow and other tissues for diagnostic purposes (1)
      • important in diagnosing parvovirus infection in patients with transient aplastic crisis or in immunocompromised patients with chronic infection (2)
  • infection with erythrovirus (parvovirus) B19 may result in a false positive Paul Bunnell test

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