Prevalence of Parvovirus B19 Infection among Children in Lagos, Aged One to 15 Years

Abstract

Summary

Background: Human parvovirus B19 affects rapidly dividing cell lines. Infection with the virus can cause a rapid fall in the haemoglobin level of patients, especially those with haemoglobinopathies such as sickle cell disease.

Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional multi-centre study was carried out on 300 children aged one to 15 years, from four hospitals in Lagos metropolis. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of Parvovirus B19 infection by measuring the IgG and IgM serum antibody levels against the organism, using Parvovirus B19 IgG and IgM ELISA kits.

Results: The serum levels of the IgG and IgM antibodies were obtained from 245 (81.7 percent) of the 300 subjects recruited for the study. In 139 of these, results for both IgG and IgM were available while those for IgM or IgG antibodies alone were obtained in 66 and 40, respectively. IgM antibodies were present in 39.5 percent (81 out of 205) of the subjects while IgG was present in 55.9 percent (100 out of 179). The highest current infection rate occurred in children less than three years of age, 54 percent of whom had IgM antibodies, while only 20 percent were positive for lgG antibodies. In 139 subjects who had both IgG and IgM antibodies determined, 50 (36 percent) were negative for these antibodies. Forty-nine (35 percent) subjects who were IgM positive were considered as being currently infected with parvovirus B19.

Conclusion: It is concluded that parvovirus B19 infection is common among Nigerian children. 

Key words: Parvovirus B19, IgM antibody, IgG antibody, Lagos metropolis.