Parvovirus B19 infection in five European countries: seroepidemiology, force of infection and maternal risk of infection

Epidemiol Infect. 2008 Aug;136(8):1059-68. doi: 10.1017/S0950268807009661. Epub 2007 Oct 24.

Abstract

We conducted a seroprevalence survey in Belgium, Finland, England & Wales, Italy and Poland on 13 449 serum samples broadly representative in terms of geography and age. Samples were tested for the presence of immunoglobulin G antibody using an enzyme immunoassay. The age-specific risk of infection was estimated using parametric and non-parametric statistical modelling. The age-specific risk in all five countries was highest in children aged 7-9 years and lower in adults. The average proportion of women of child-bearing age susceptible to parvovirus B19 infection and the risk of a pregnant women acquiring B19 infection during pregnancy was estimated to be 26% and 0.61% in Belgium, 38% and 0.69% in England & Wales, 43.5% and 1.24% in Finland, 39.9% and 0.92% in Italy and 36.8% and 1.58% in Poland, respectively. Our study indicates substantial epidemiological differences in Europe regarding parvovirus B19 infection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood
  • Belgium / epidemiology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • England / epidemiology
  • Female
  • Finland / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / blood
  • Infant
  • Italy / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Parvoviridae Infections / epidemiology*
  • Parvovirus B19, Human / immunology*
  • Poland / epidemiology
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / epidemiology
  • Prevalence
  • Risk Factors
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies
  • Sex Factors
  • Statistics, Nonparametric
  • Wales / epidemiology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Immunoglobulin G