ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines the development and performance of diagnostic tests for human parvovirus (B19) virus and illustrates their application with selected case histories. The pattern of laboratory results in community-wide family outbreak shows that recent infection with B19 virus can be proved serologically in patients with a rash and in those without symptoms by demonstrating anti-B19 IgM supported by the finding of anti-B19 IgG. Future developments of laboratory tests for B19 virus are likely to include the provision of nonradioactive methods for both deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) hybridization and antibody capture assays. Complete virus may be demonstrated by electron microscopy but the role for counter-immunoelectrophoresis (CIE) and immune electron microscopy (IEM) technique in routine diagnosis is limited. The serological findings on aplastic crises family illustrate diagnosis of B19 virus infection in the children by demonstration of the virus, by an anti-B19 IgM response, and by seroconversion.
