MINIREVIEW Human parvovirus B19: general considerations and impact on patients with sickle-cell disease and thalassemia and on blood transfusions Svetoslav N. Slavov1, Simone Kashima1,2, Ana Cristina Silva Pinto1 & Dimas Tadeu Covas1 1Regional Blood Center of Ribeira˜ o Preto, Faculty of Medicine in Ribeira˜ o Preto (FMRP), University of Sa˜ o Paulo (USP), SP, Brazil; and 2Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeira˜ o Preto, University of Sa˜ o Paulo (USP), SP, Brazil Correspondence: Svetoslav N. Slavov, Abstract Regional Blood Center of Ribeira˜ o Preto, Faculty of Medicine in Ribeira˜ o Preto (FMRP), Human parvovirus B19 (B19V) is a small (22–24 nm) nonenveloped DNA virus University of Sa˜ o Paulo (USP), Rua Tenente belonging to the genus Erythrovirus (family Parvoviridae). Although it generally Cata˜ o Roxo 2051, Ribeira˜ o Preto, SP, Brazil. causes self-limiting conditions in healthy people, B19V infection may have a Tel.: 155 16 2101 9309/9680; fax: 155 16 different outcome in patients with inherited hemolytic anemias. In such high-risk 2101 9309; e-mail:
[email protected] individuals, the high-titer replication may result in bone marrow suppression, triggering a life-threatening drop of hemoglobin values (profound anemia, aplastic Received 31 January 2011; revised 12 April crisis). To date there is no consensus concerning a B19V screening program either 2011; accepted 4 May 2011. for the blood donations used in the hemotherapy or for high-risk patients. Final version published online 15 June 2011. Moreover, questions such as the molecular mechanisms by which B19V produces DOI:10.1111/j.1574-695X.2011.00819.x latency and persistent replication, the primary site (sites) of B19V infection and B19V immunopathology are far from being known.