ABSTRACT
This chapter predicts that the intense virenna associated with acute human parvovirus (B19) virus infection would lead to fetal infection should it occur during pregnancy. In acute B19 virus infection there is an intense viremia with every opportunity for seeding of the rapidly dividing tissues of the fetus should infection occur during pregnancy. B19 virus deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was detected in placenta and fetal liver, lung, brain, and adrenal. Eight patients with B19 virus infection in pregnancy were identified among a group of individuals with erythematous rashes which were shown not to be due to rubella. Another interesting finding that has emerged from two independent studies is the relative infrequency of confirmed B19 virus infection in pregnant women compared with nonpregnant individuals. The lack of association between B19 virus infection and obvious birth defects has been confirmed by examining sera from abnormal infants. The chapter concludes that there was no evidence of teratogenicity associated with erythema infectiosum during pregnancy.
