Parvovirus B19 infection in patients receiving cancer chemotherapy: the expanding spectrum of disease.

Initial reports have suggested that human parvovirus B19 infection in immune-compromised individuals may cause prolonged or chronic bone marrow suppression. We report four children receiving cancer chemotherapy who developed atypical patterns of cutaneous and hematologic disease associated with parvoviral infection. B19 infection was demonstrated by specific serologies. This report suggests that patients undergoing myelosuppressive or immunosuppressive therapy may have unusual manifestations of infection and be at risk for complications associated with this common and widespread pathogen.