To investigate the clinical and serological characteristics of parvovirus infection.
during 1993-4, 9 adult patients presented with polyarthralgias/polyarthritis. Clinical evaluation and serological studies of antinuclear antibodies, rheumatoid factor (RF), IgM and IgG antibodies to human parvovirus were done in all patients. Other serologies including anti-DNA, serum complement, and C1 esterase inhibitor levels were obtained in some patients.
All 9 patients had polyarthralgias/polyarthritis, serological evidence of parvovirus B19 IgM and IgG antibodies, and normal sedimentation rate. All patients were seronegative for RF. Four women had positive ANA titers. In 2 of them the ANA positivity was transient. One developed systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Three women had angioedema of the face and tongue; one had transient C1 esterase inhibitor deficiency and another a transient decrease in C4 levels.
Parvovirus may be implicated in the development of SLE as well as other chronic arthropathies. This is the first reported case of angioedema and decreased C1 esterase inhibitor levels associated with parvovirus infection.