Investigation of Parvovirus B19 IgM and IgG Positivity Rates in Pediatric Hematology Patients

Human parvovirus B19 is a frequent etiologic agent causing erythema infectiosum in children. It has recently been suggested that parvovirus B19 may be latent after infection and cause reactive infections especially in immunosuppressed patients with hematological problems. In this study, we aimed to investigate the parvovirus B19 immunoglobulin M (IgM) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) seropositivity rates of patients evaluated in a pediatric hematology clinic. We retrospectively screened the laboratory results of parvovirus B19 IgM and IgG antibody assays of children less than 18 years, who consulted pediatric in-and-outpatient clinics between 2013 and 2016. Parvovirus B19 IgM and IgG antibodies were investigated in serum samples by using enzymelinked immunosorbent assay method in the Medical Microbiology Laboratory. Parvovirus B19 IgM antibodies were detected in 109 of 602 patients attending pediatric hematology clinics (18.1%). Parvovirus B19 IgG antibody was detected in 244 of 952 patients attending pediatric hematology clinics (25.6%). Parvovirus B19 IgM and IgG positivity in samples from pediatric in-and-outpatient clinics other than pediatric hematology were 2.8% and 35.7%, respectively. Parvovirus IgM and IgG positivity in serum samples sent from the pediatric hematology clinic and outpatients was statistically significant compared with those sent from pediatric clinics other than pediatric hematology (p = 0.0001 and p = 0.0008, respectively). The higher detection rate of serum parvovirus B19 IgM positivity in patients under the follow-up of pediatric hematology clinics suggests that immune suppression-related viral reinfection or persistence may occur in these patients.