The danger of being infected by parvovirus is elevated in those individuals who have blood group Rh(D), in line with a study published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases by researchers from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden in collaboration with Octapharma.

Fifth disease is a viral disease attributable to parvovirus. Most frequently, school-age children are affected with common symptoms corresponding to red blotches on the cheeks that can even spread to the legs and arms. Even adults can grow to be infected, but many don’t show any symptoms.

In a latest study, researchers can now reveal that the chance of contracting the disease is elevated if the person belongs to the blood group Rhesus D antigen or what is named Rh(D). Along with the blood typing within the AB0 system, the Rh system is essentially the most common.

All infected belonged to Rh(D)

Greater than 160,000 blood donors in Germany were screened for parvovirus between 2015 and 2018. Of the blood donors, 22 people were infected with the virus. All infected individuals belonged to the blood group Rh(D).

It’s a major finding that has not yet been described that might mean that Rh(D) is significant when the virus enters the host cell and likewise could also be a latest, as of yet unidentified cellular receptor for the virus.”

Rasmus Gustafsson, affiliated researcher on the Department of Clinical Neuroscience at Karolinska Institutet and project manager at Octapharma

Women were over-represented

The researchers were also in a position to see that the chance of infection was elevated through the summer months. As well as, women in addition to people aged 31 to 40 have an increased risk of infection.

“At that age, there are frequently toddlers around. We already know that young children get infected in preschool after which infect their parents. So, the age and gender distribution generally is a reflection of the indisputable fact that women to a greater extent than men work within the care professions and take care of children,” says Rasmus Gustafsson.

The study was conducted in collaboration with the corporate Octapharma, where several of the co-authors are lively.

Source:

Journal reference:

Healy, K., et al. (2022) Prevalence of parvovirus B19 viraemia amongst German blood donations and the connection to ABO and Rhesus blood group antigens. The Journal of Infectious Diseases. doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiac456.