Tissue persistence and prevalence of B19 virus types 1-3

Human parvovirus B 19 is a minute ssDNA virus that causes a wide variety of diseases, including erythema infectiosum, arthropathy, anemias and fetal death. In addition to the B 19 prototype, two new variants (B 19 types 2 and 3) have been identified. After primary infection, B19 genomic DNA has been shown to persist in solid tissues of not only symptomatic but also of constitutionally healthy, immunocompetent individuals, The viral DNA persists as an intact molecule without persistence-specific mutations, and via a storage mechanism with life-long capacity. Thus, the mere presence of B 19 DNA in tissue cannot be used as a diagnostic criterion, although a possible role in the pathology of diseases, for example through mRNA or protein production, cannot be excluded. The molecular mechanism, host-cell type and possible clinical significance of tissue persistence are yet to be elucidated.