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. 2024 Nov;29(48):2400746.
doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.48.2400746.

Outbreak of paediatric myocarditis associated with parvovirus B19 infection in Italy, January to October 2024

Marco Poeta  1   2 , Cristina Moracas  2   3 , Francesca Ippolita Calò Carducci  4 , Claudio Cafagno  5 , Danilo Buonsenso  6 , Marco Maglione  7 , Sofia Sgubbi  8 , Cecilia Liberati  9 , Elisabetta Venturini  10 , Giuseppe Limongelli  11 , Felice Nunziata  12 , Laura Petrarca  13 , Claudia Mandato  14 , Claudia Colomba  15 , Alfredo Guarino  1   2 ; Pediatric INF-ACT Network Study Group  16 ; Collaborators of the Paediatric INF-ACT Network Study Group
Collaborators, Affiliations

Outbreak of paediatric myocarditis associated with parvovirus B19 infection in Italy, January to October 2024

Marco Poeta et al. Euro Surveill. 2024 Nov.

Abstract

Acute myocarditis has risen among paediatric patients in Italy, with 65 clinically suspected cases reported by 12 centres in 2024, 32 linked to parvovirus B19 (B19V) infection. In 11 cases, B19V was not ruled out despite a concurrent European outbreak. Twenty-nine children required intensive care; eight fatalities occurred. While effective for both severe B19V infection and myocarditis, intravenous immunoglobulins were given in only one-third of cases. These findings highlight the need for timely diagnosis, stronger surveillance, and standardised treatment protocols.

Keywords: Myocarditis; Parvovirus B19; children; infectious threat; outbreak.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(A) Age and (B) temporal distribution of myocarditis cases according to B19V related testing, Italy, January−October 2024 (n = 65 cases)
Figure 2
Figure 2
(A) Distribution of cases according to parvovirus B19 testing and results thereof as well as (B) other infectious aetiologies found for myocarditis cases, Italy, 1 January–31 October 2024 (n = 65 cases)
Figure 3
Figure 3
Therapies and outcomes of hospitalised cases of myocarditis, Italy, 1 January–31 October 2024 (n = 65 cases)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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