Human parvovirus B19 and autoimmune diseases. Review of the literature and pathophysiological hypotheses.

A number of arguments support the role played by PVB19 in autoimmunity, in the broad sense of the term essentially derived from numerous clinical case reports and/or small series over the past 20-30 years in the medical literature. PVB19 can induce a very broad spectrum of autoantibody production, especially including: anti-soluble nuclear antigen antibodies, antiphospholipid antibodies anti-native DNA antibodies, antilymphocyte antibody, anticardiolipin antibodies, antinuclear antibodies and rheumatoid factor. Notably acute PVB19 infection can mimic or stimulate autoimmune systemic diseases as rheumatoid arthritis or systemic lupus erythematosus. However, at the present time, there is no formal scientific evidence demonstrating a direct role of PVB19 in autoimmunity, bearing in mind that there are also no formal arguments against it. Further large studies are needed to understand the eventual role of PVB19 in autoimmune diseases.