Primary parvovirus B19 infection in immunocompetent pregnancies: Clinical features and outcomes of 16 prospective cases

Majda Bouraddane; Karima Warda; Sara Amari; Youssef El Kamouni; Lamiae Arsalane; Karam Harou; Abderraouf Soumani; Said Zouhair; Majda Bouraddane; Karima Warda; Sara Amari; Youssef El Kamouni; Lamiae Arsalane; Karam Harou; Abderraouf Soumani; Said Zouhair

doi:10.3934/Allergy.2026011

AIMS Allergy and Immunology

2026, Volume 10, Issue 3: 131-142. doi: 10.3934/Allergy.2026011

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Research article

Primary parvovirus B19 infection in immunocompetent pregnancies: Clinical features and outcomes of 16 prospective cases

1.
Laboratory of Microbiology-Virology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University Cadi Ayyad, Marrakesh, Morocco
2.
Laboratory of Bacteriology-Virology, Avicenne Military Hospital, Marrakesh, Morocco
3.
Gyneco-Obstetric Service, Mohammed VI University Hospital, Marrakesh, Morocco

Received: 22 May 2026 Revised: 27 August 2026 Accepted: 08 September 2026 Published: 20 September 2026

Parvovirus B19 (B19V) is a contagious virus. It is responsible for a wide range of clinical manifestations, from spontaneously resolving illness to potentially fatal and severe conditions in at risk individuals such as pregnant women. This study would enable the investigation of clinical and biological manifestations as well as adverse fetal outcomes in pregnant women with recent infection. We reported a series of 16 pregnant women with primary B19V infection. Diagnosis was clinical, serological, and molecular. Real-time PCR molecular analysis was performed on all pregnant women with recent B19V infection. Viral DNA was detected in 3 women. Mothers with recent B19V infection were symptomatic in 68.75% (11/16) of cases, and 62.5% (10/16) had developed arthralgia associated with a rash. Anemia was present in half the women with recent infection, with only one case of thrombocytopenia. Postnatal follow-up of the infected mothers showed that 13 women gave birth to healthy new borns. Two patients experienced a spontaneous abortion, and another gave birth to a premature infant. Given the complications of B19V infection, the assessment of maternal infection is important and should be considered within the framework of the fetal and maternal health policy in Morocco.
- clinical manifestations,
- fetal outcomes,
- maternal infection,
- Parvovirus B19 (B19V),
- Spontaneous abortion
Citation: Majda Bouraddane, Karima Warda, Sara Amari, Youssef El Kamouni, Lamiae Arsalane, Karam Harou, Abderraouf Soumani, Said Zouhair. Primary parvovirus B19 infection in immunocompetent pregnancies: Clinical features and outcomes of 16 prospective cases[J]. AIMS Allergy and Immunology, 2026, 10(3): 131-142. doi: 10.3934/Allergy.2026011

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Abstract

Parvovirus B19 (B19V) is a contagious virus. It is responsible for a wide range of clinical manifestations, from spontaneously resolving illness to potentially fatal and severe conditions in at risk individuals such as pregnant women. This study would enable the investigation of clinical and biological manifestations as well as adverse fetal outcomes in pregnant women with recent infection. We reported a series of 16 pregnant women with primary B19V infection. Diagnosis was clinical, serological, and molecular. Real-time PCR molecular analysis was performed on all pregnant women with recent B19V infection. Viral DNA was detected in 3 women. Mothers with recent B19V infection were symptomatic in 68.75% (11/16) of cases, and 62.5% (10/16) had developed arthralgia associated with a rash. Anemia was present in half the women with recent infection, with only one case of thrombocytopenia. Postnatal follow-up of the infected mothers showed that 13 women gave birth to healthy new borns. Two patients experienced a spontaneous abortion, and another gave birth to a premature infant. Given the complications of B19V infection, the assessment of maternal infection is important and should be considered within the framework of the fetal and maternal health policy in Morocco.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no competing interests.

Author contributions

MB: Extracting, drafting, analysis of data, statistical analysis of the manuscript. KW: Design and revision. SA: Investigation, Methodology. YEK and LA: Methodology and supervision. KH and AS: Resources, Supervision. SZ: Conceptualization, Methodology, Writing and review.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

The study was approved by the institution's research and ethics committee and the in formed written consent was signed by all pregnant women who participated in the study. The code of ethics is no.17/2022 issued by the ethics committee of the university hospital in Marrakesh, Morocco.

Data availability

The data sets used and analysed in the current study are available from the corresponding author up on reasonable request.

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