Seroprevalence of Human Parvovirus B19 Infection among Thalassemic Children in Babylon Center of Hereditary Blood Disorders

Abstract

Background: Human Parvovirus B19 is the etiological agent of erythema infectiosum in children, and frequently cause transient red cell aplasia in chidren with chronic hemolytic anemias like thalassemia syndrome.Objective: To detect the seroprevalence of Human Parvovirus B19 infection in children with thalassemia major in Babylon center of hereditary blood disorders. Methods: This is a descriptive, comparative hospital based study conducted in Babylon center of hereditary blood disorders in Babylon Gynecology and Children teaching hospital from May of 2012 to August 2012.It include 46 children with thalassemia major age ranging from 2-17 years old and 40 non thalassemic children with matched sex and age attending the same hospital at same time for different reason, as control group. Anti-HPV B19 IgM and Anti-HPV B19 IgG were done on patient and control sera by ELISA. Results:Anti-HPV B19 IgM antibodies were detected in 6 of 46 thalassemic patient(13%), and not detected in any children of control group , P value (0.028). Anti-HPV B19 IgG antibodies were detected in 14 of 46 of thalassemic patient (30.4%)and 2 of 40 in control group(5%), P value(0.004). Conclusion: Thalassemic children are more prone to get infection with HPV B19 than other nonthalassemic children , so we must consider this possibility specially when thalassemic child develop sudden dropping in hemoglobin and reticulocytopenia.