Human B19 parvovirus infection: an example of multiple pathogenic effects determined by differences in host susceptibility. NLM AIDSLINE Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1994. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

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Human B19 parvovirus infection: an example of multiple pathogenic effects determined by differences in host susceptibility.

Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 1992;87 Suppl 5:129-31. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/94111669
Mortimer PP; Central Public Health Laboratory, London, United Kingdom.

Abstract: B19 infection offers some general lessons about human viruses and their possible effects on the human host, as follows: (1) Ubiquitous apparently benign viruses may have severe effects on a compromised host. The virus may be invariable but the host can have diverse susceptibilities. (2) B19 and some other human viruses (though for none is the evidence so clear as for B19) have narrowly targetted effects. The host cell of B19 is a specialised progenitor of mature red cells: impairment of the function of this cell by B19 may cause profound anaemia. (3) The 'normal' host response to B19 may also cause disease, though this is self limiting. (4) The effects of malfunction of the virus' target cell are exacerbated when the immune response is impaired by congenital or acquired immunodeficiency, immunosuppressive therapy or, in the case of the fetus, developmental immaturity that allows the virus to persist.
Keywords: Adult Anemia/*MICROBIOLOGY Child Disease Susceptibility/IMMUNOLOGY Erythema Infectiosum/DIAGNOSIS/*MICROBIOLOGY Erythroid Progenitor Cells/MICROBIOLOGY Human Hydrops Fetalis/ETIOLOGY Immunocompromised Host Parvovirus B19, Human/*PATHOGENICITY Virulence JOURNAL ARTICLE REVIEW REVIEW, TUTORIALKWDadultanemia/KWDmicrobiologychilddiseasesusceptibility/immunologyerythemainfectiosum/diagnosis/KWDmicrobiologyerythroidprogenitorcells/microbiologyhumanhydropsfetalis/etiologyimmunocompromisedhostparvovirusb19,human/KWDpathogenicityvirulencejournalarticlereviewreview,tutorial
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Copyright © 1994 - National Library of Medicine. Reproduced under license with the National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD.

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