Parvovirus B19: diagnosis, distribution and disease associations

Abstract

Parvovirus B19 is a common virus, but it can cause severe anemia in certain populations, among which unborn children. This dissertation investigated the frequency with which parvovirus infections occur in the population. Over the span of years, a varying pattern was observed which was related to the number of unborn children with severe anemia. This is important in order to be able to estimate the disease burden that varies per year and to be prepared for epidemics. The second part of the dissertation investigated the clinical revelance of parvovirus B19 DNA detection in different patient populations. It is known that parvovirus B19 DNA can still be detected in the blood many months after the infection. This dissertation investigated the nature of the lingering DNA. Are these infectious viral particles or are they the remains of disintegrated viruses? A test was developed for this purpose that can distinguish between intact viral particles and loose strands of DNA, the remnants of viral particles. It showed that only remnants of the virus infection could be demonstrated after the acute phase of infection. Furthermore, the dissertation explored new tools such as next-generation sequencing and protein prediction modelling in parvovirus B19 research.