High prevalence of parvovirus B19 IgG antibody among hemophilia patients attending Shiraz Center for Special Diseases

ABSTRACT

Human Parvovirus B19, the causative agent of fifth disease in childhood, lacks lipid envelop and is resistant to many physicochemical agents. B19 is a potential risk to hemophiliac patients receiving blood products.The present research is a descriptive and cross-sectional study. To determine the prevalence of the corresponding antibody in patients with hemophilia A or B or Von Willbrand's disease, we tested 180 hemophilia patients for anti B19 IgG. The results were compared with those of 400 age-matched controls subjects [male blood donors and children]. SPSS version 10 and Chisquar were used for data analysis.The overall prevalence of B19 IgG in the hemophilia patients was 74% [133/180] and in thecontrol 56.5% [226/400, p<0.001]. These observations demonstrate that parvovirus B19 is frequently transmitted by bloodproducts. Existing virus-inactivating methods do not prevent transmission