Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter to the Editor
  • Published:

Human parvovirus B19 in pediatric and adult recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 48, pages 1366–1367 (2013)Cite this article

Subjects

The number of patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic SCT (HSCT) is steadily increasing, and the outcome of this intervention is largely dependent on how well complications in the form of severe infections can adequately be diagnosed and controlled. Established surveillance strategies exist for early detection of CMV and EBV, and there is an ongoing evaluation of the benefit of screening for emerging pathogens such as adenovirus (AdV).1 As a result of new molecular techniques, knowledge of pathogenic viral infections following transplantation has increased in recent years. As immunosuppressive regimens change and as new viruses are discovered, it is important to continuously update our knowledge about the epidemiology and clinical impact of potentially harmful viruses.

We read with great interest a recently published article by Rahiala et al.2 in which they describe the occurrence and clinical spectrum of the well-known parvovirus B19 (B19) and two new parvoviruses, parvovirus 4 (PARV4) and human bocavirus (HBoV), in 53 pediatric HSCT recipients. Serum samples collected prior to HSCT as well as 1, 2 and 3 months after the transplantation were analyzed by PCR. Whereas neither PARV4 nor HBoV DNA was found, B19 DNA was detected in one or more consecutive samples in as many as 30% of the children. However, the authors were not able to associate the viremia with known clinical complications, such as (prolonged) cytopenia, in immunocompromised patients.3, 4

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. Zaia J, Baden L, Boeckh MJ, Chakrabarti S, Einsele H, Ljungman P et al. Viral disease prevention after hematopoietic cell transplantation. Bone Marrow Transplant 2009; 44: 471–482.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Rahiala J, Koskenvuo M, Norja P, Meriluoto M, Toppinen M, Lahtinen A et al. Human parvoviruses B19, PARV4 and bocavirus in pediatric patients with allogeneic hematopoietic SCT. Bone Marrow Transplant 2013; 48: 1308–1312.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Schleuning M, Jager G, Holler E, Hill W, Thomssen C, Denzlinger C et al. Human parvovirus B19-associated disease in bone marrow transplantation. Infection 1999; 27: 114–117.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Soliman Oel S, Abd El-Aal Hegazi Hasan M, El-Ashry R, Zaghloul MH, Kora B . Parvovirus B19 infection in pediatric oncology patients: diagnostic value of clinical and serologic parameters compared with nested PCR. J Pediatr Hematol Oncol 2009; 31: 173–176.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Ohrmalm L, Lindblom A, Omar H, Norbeck O, Gustafson I, Lewensohn-Fuchs I et al. Evaluation of a surveillance strategy for early detection of adenovirus by PCR of peripheral blood in hematopoietic SCT recipients: incidence and outcome. Bone Marrow Transplant 2011; 46: 267–272.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Lindblom A, Isa A, Norbeck O, Wolf S, Johansson B, Broliden K et al. Slow clearance of human parvovirus B19 viremia following acute infection. Clin Infect Dis 2005; 41: 1201–1203.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Soderlund M, Ruutu P, Ruutu T, Asikainen K, Franssila R, Hedman K . Primary and secondary infections by human parvovirus B19 following bone marrow transplantation: characterization by PCR and B-cell molecular immunology. Scand J Infect Dis 1997; 29: 129–135.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Azzi A, Fanci R, Ciappi S, Zakrzewska K, Bosi A . Human parvovirus B19 infection in bone marrow transplantation patients. Am J Hematol 1993; 44: 207–209.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Ohrmalm L, Wong M, Aust C, Ljungman P, Norbeck O, Broliden K et al. Viral findings in adult hematological patients with neutropenia. PLoS One 2012; 7: e36543.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Lindblom A, Bhadri V, Soderhall S, Ohrmalm L, Wong M, Norbeck O et al. Respiratory viruses, a common microbiological finding in neutropenic children with fever. J Clin Virol 2010; 47: 234–237.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Solna, Infectious Disease Unit, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden

    L Öhrmalm, I Gustafson, A Lindblom, O Norbeck & K Broliden

  2. Department of Hematology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenberg, Sweden

    J-E Johansson & M Brune

  3. Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

    P Ljungman

  4. Hematology Centre, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden

    P Ljungman

Authors
  1. L Öhrmalm
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. I Gustafson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. A Lindblom
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. O Norbeck
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. J-E Johansson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. M Brune
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. P Ljungman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. K Broliden
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to L Öhrmalm.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Öhrmalm, L., Gustafson, I., Lindblom, A. et al. Human parvovirus B19 in pediatric and adult recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Bone Marrow Transplant 48, 1366–1367 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/bmt.2013.110

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/bmt.2013.110

Search

Advanced search

Quick links