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Review
. 2024 Jan 26;14(2):139.
doi: 10.3390/jpm14020139.

Parvovirus B19 Infection and Pregnancy: Review of the Current Knowledge

Fernanda Parciasepe Dittmer  1 , Clara de Moura Guimarães  1 , Alberto Borges Peixoto  2   3 , Karina Felippe Monezi Pontes  1   4 , Maria Paola Bonasoni  5 , Gabriele Tonni  6 , Edward Araujo Júnior  1   7
Affiliations
Review

Parvovirus B19 Infection and Pregnancy: Review of the Current Knowledge

Fernanda Parciasepe Dittmer et al. J Pers Med. .

Abstract

Parvovirus B19, a member of the Parvoviridae family, is a human pathogenic virus. It can be transmitted by respiratory secretions, hand-to-mouth contact, blood transfusion, or transplacental transmission. Most patients are asymptomatic or present with mild symptoms such as erythema infectiosum, especially in children. In rare cases, moderate-to-severe symptoms may occur, affecting blood cells and other systems, resulting in anemia, thrombocytopenia, and neutropenia. Non-immune pregnant women are at risk for fetal infection by parvovirus B19, with greater complications if transmission occurs in the first or second trimester. Infected fetuses may not show any abnormalities in most cases, but in more severe cases, there may be severe fetal anemia, hydrops, and even pregnancy loss. Maternal diagnosis of intrauterine parvovirus B19 infection includes IgG and IgM antibody testing. For fetal diagnosis, PCR is performed through amniocentesis. In addition to diagnosing the infection, it is important to monitor the peak of systolic velocity of the middle cerebral artery (PVS-MCA) Doppler to assess the presence of fetal anemia. There is no vaccine for parvovirus B19, and fetal management focuses on detecting moderate/severe anemia by fetal PVS-MCA Doppler, which, if diagnosed, should be treated with intrauterine transfusion by cordocentesis. Prevention focuses on reducing exposure in high-risk populations, particularly pregnant women.

Keywords: Doppler; anemia; intrauterine infection; intrauterine transfusion; parvovirus B19.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Main ultrasonographic findings of intrauterine parvovirus B19 infection: (A) increased nuchal translucency, (B) polyhydramnios, (C) cardiomegaly, (D) pleural effusion, (E) placentomegaly, and (F) ascites.
Figure 2
Figure 2
(A) Peak of systolic velocity of the middle cerebral artery Doppler measurement technique. (B) Intrauterine transfusion with the needle in the vein at level of umbilical cord insertion on placenta.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Flowchart showing the path followed from the maternal serology to the fetal treatment of parvovirus B19 infection.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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