OBJECTIVE: To study
parvovirus B19 infection in immunocompromised subjects such as
renal transplantation recipients. METHODS: Two cases of B19
infection in renal transplant recipients have been included in the study. The outcome of the
infection has been studied by both serologic and virologic methods. A monitoring of the DNAemia was done by a nested PCR in endpoint titration assays. RESULTS: In one patient with severe
anemia an acute B19
infection was diagnosed by PCR 26 days after the transplant; a high level of DNAemia persisted until an
intravenous immunoglobulin treatment. Then a sharp decrease of the DNAemia was shown, without full clearance of B19 virus. In a lymphocyte
suspension from the organ donor, B19
DNA was detected. In the other patient, who recovered spontaneously from
anemia, a persistent B19
infection was demonstrated at day 106 after
transplantation and was still demonstrable after 470 days. CONCLUSIONS: A high level of B19 DNAemia was associated with symptomatic
infection, with severe
anemia, whereas low-level DNAemia was long-lasting in asymptomatic subjects with impaired immunologic responses. The endpoint titration assay by nested PCR was very useful for the monitoring of B19
infection, particularly following the therapeutic
intravenous immunoglobulin administration.