Human Parvo Virus Symptoms

Symptoms of Parvovirus Infection

The human parvovirus B19 was accidentally discovered in 1974 and was classified as pathogenic. A pathogen is any substance or microorganism that produces detrimental effects on the health of the human body. Almost all viruses are considered pathogenic. The human parvovirus attacks the bones and red blood cells of humans but it is ineffectual against animals, like dogs and cats.

In the beginning, the human parvovirus did not receive much attention from researchers simply because its effects on the infected host are considered mild. When compared to other childhood diseases like measles, the parvovirus infection (called fifth disease) can be described as tame. The usual symptoms displayed by an infected child are the following:

• Low fever – which is does not lead to convulsions or delirium
• Red facial rash – which gives the impression that the cheek of the infected host has been slapped. The “slapped cheek” symptom is medically called “circumoral pallor”. With this symptom, the human parvovirus infection is called “erythema infectiosum”.
• Mild rashes – which can be found in the body, in the arms, and in the legs. These rashes may not even appear in some cases. But when they do appear, the parvovirus infection can be considered at its second stage. Sometimes, the rashes are itchy. They may fade and then appear again.
• Nausea and headache – which usually happens before any of the above symptoms appear.
• Coryza – which refers to the excessive discharge of mucous membrane in the nose.
• Vesicles – which rarely happens. A vesicle is a small circular prominent lesion on the skin. The lesion is sac-like and contains fluid.
• Scaly dermatitis – which is an inflammation of the skin, similar to one acquired after overexposure to sunlight. The skin has become dry that it appears to be scaly.

In some infected persons, the above symptoms may not even appear. These persons will just have a vague feeling of being sick but cannot exactly pinpoint what particular sickness. They would think that they have the common flu, especially when they have coryza. This situation is what doctors refer to as “asymptomatic infection”. These people become carriers of the virus. That is, since they don’t stay in bed, they can spread the virus to other people.

Unfortunately, when the human parvovirus infects the adults, more serious symptoms are displayed. The human parvovirus attacks the bones of the adults and produces these symptoms:

• Arthralgia – The presence of pain in the bone joints, especially when these are moved.
• Arthritis – The inflammation of the joints. The human parvovirus has made the joints swollen. Some children infected with the human parvovirus may also experience this symptom.
• Hydrops – The abnormal accumulation of thin watery fluids in body tissues and body cavities.

With all the above symptoms of the human parvovirus infection, this disease is now being considered as serious.

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