The danger of being contaminated by parvovirus is elevated in these individuals who have blood group Rh(D), in line with a examine revealed in The Journal of Infectious Diseases by researchers from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden in collaboration with Octapharma.
Fifth illness is a viral illness brought on by parvovirus. Most usually, school-age youngsters are affected with widespread signs corresponding to pink blotches on the cheeks that may additionally unfold to the legs and arms. Even adults can change into contaminated, however many don’t present any signs.
In a brand new examine, researchers can now exhibit that the danger of contracting the illness is elevated if the particular person belongs to the blood group Rhesus D antigen or what is known as Rh(D). In addition to the blood typing within the AB0 system, the Rh system is the commonest.
All contaminated belonged to Rh(D)
More than 160,000 blood donors in Germany have been screened for parvovirus between 2015 and 2018. Of the blood donors, 22 individuals have been contaminated with the virus. All contaminated individuals belonged to the blood group Rh(D).
It is a major discovering that has not but been described that might imply that Rh(D) is essential when the virus enters the host cell and likewise could also be a brand new, as of but unidentified mobile receptor for the virus.”
Rasmus Gustafsson, affiliated researcher on the Department of Clinical Neuroscience at Karolinska Institutet and venture supervisor at Octapharma
Women have been over-represented
The researchers have been additionally capable of see that the danger of an infection was elevated through the summer time months. In addition, ladies in addition to individuals aged 31 to 40 have an elevated danger of an infection.
“At that age, there are normally toddlers round. We already know that younger youngsters get contaminated in preschool after which infect their dad and mom. So, the age and gender distribution could be a reflection of the truth that ladies to a better extent than males work within the care professions and take care of youngsters,” says Rasmus Gustafsson.
The examine was carried out in collaboration with the corporate Octapharma, the place a number of of the co-authors are energetic.
Source:
Journal reference:
Healy, Ok., et al. (2022) Prevalence of parvovirus B19 viraemia amongst German blood donations and the connection to ABO and Rhesus blood group antigens. The Journal of Infectious Diseases. doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiac456.