Identification and characterization of persistent human erythrovirus infection in blood donor samples

J Virol. 2004 Nov;78(22):12169-78. doi: 10.1128/JVI.78.22.12169-12178.2004.

Abstract

The presence of human erythrovirus DNA in 2,440 blood donations from the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa (Ghana, Malawi, and South Africa) was screened. Sensitive qualitative and real-time quantitative PCR assays revealed a higher prevalence of persistent infection with the simultaneous presence of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and viral DNA (0.55 to 1.3%) than previously reported. This condition was characterized by a low viral load (median, 558 IU/ml; range, 42 to 135,000 IU/ml), antibody-complexed virus, free specific IgG, and potentially infectious free virus. Human erythrovirus genotype 1 (formerly parvovirus B19) was prevalent in the United Kingdom, Malawi, and South Africa. In contrast, only human erythrovirus genotype 3 (erythrovirus variant V9) was prevalent in Ghana. Genotype 3 had considerable genetic diversity, clustering in two probable subtypes. Genotype 1-based antibody assays failed to detect 38.5% of Ghanaian samples containing antibodies to genotype 3 virus but did not fail to detect cases of persistent infection. This study indicates a potential African origin of genotype 3 human erythrovirus and considerable shortcomings in the tools currently used to diagnose erythrovirus infection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood
  • Blood Donors*
  • Capsid Proteins / immunology
  • DNA, Viral / blood
  • Erythrovirus / genetics
  • Erythrovirus / immunology
  • Erythrovirus / isolation & purification*
  • Humans
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Parvoviridae Infections / virology*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Capsid Proteins
  • DNA, Viral

Associated data

  • GENBANK/AY582143
  • GENBANK/AY582144
  • GENBANK/AY582145
  • GENBANK/AY582146
  • GENBANK/AY582147
  • GENBANK/AY582148
  • GENBANK/AY582149
  • GENBANK/AY582150
  • GENBANK/AY582151
  • GENBANK/AY582152
  • GENBANK/AY582153
  • GENBANK/AY582154
  • GENBANK/AY582155
  • GENBANK/AY582156
  • GENBANK/AY582157
  • GENBANK/AY582158
  • GENBANK/AY582159
  • GENBANK/AY582160
  • GENBANK/AY582161
  • GENBANK/AY582162
  • GENBANK/AY582163
  • GENBANK/AY582164