JPAC Joint United Kingdom (UK) Blood Transfusion and Tissue Transplantation Services Professional Advisory Committee
  1. Home/
  2. Donor Selection Guidelines/
  3. Whole Blood and Components/
  4. A-Z Search/
  5. Parvovirus B19

Parvovirus B19

Includes

Human parvovirus; slapped cheek syndrome; erythema infectiosum; fifth disease

1. Affected Individual
Obligatory

Must not donate.

Discretionary

If it is more than 4 weeks from:

  • recovery from systemic symptoms (low-grade fever, malaise, headache, nasal discharge, abdominal pain, sore throat), and
  • a positive result for parvovirus B19 DNA, if testing has been carried out,

accept.

2. Close Contact with an Affected Individual
Obligatory

Must not donate if:
Less than 3 weeks since contact with an individual with suspected or confirmed parvovirus B19 infection. This includes individuals diagnosed through blood donation screening.

Discretionary

a) If the donor has a definite past history of parvovirus B19 infection, accept.

b) If more than 3 weeks since last contact with an individual with parvovirus B19 infection, accept.

c) If any contact in the previous 3 weeks has only been with someone in the post-infectious phase, i.e. after the rash has appeared, accept.

See if Relevant

Infectious Diseases – Contact With

Additional Information

Parvovirus B19 is a viral infection which occurs most commonly in children. The virus can be transmitted through droplet spread (respiratory), or from mother to baby, or via blood transfusion. Outbreaks of parvovirus B19 occur every 3 to 4 years during the late winter / early spring period. Following exposure, the incubation period is 14 to 21 days.

Infection may be asymptomatic or may result in a mild self-limiting illness presenting with fever, malaise, upper respiratory tract symptoms and abdominal pain. Children often develop a bright red facial rash (‘slapped cheek’) one to two weeks later, followed after a few days by a light pink rash on the chest, stomach, arms and thighs. Adults have similar symptoms but are less likely to have a facial rash. Adults are also more likely to have joint pain (polyarthropathy) especially in the hands, wrists, feet and ankles. Rashes and joint pain can persist for several weeks or months after someone has recovered from the infection and do not prevent donation.

Individuals with parvovirus B19 are infectious at the early stage, before and while experiencing systemic and upper respiratory tract symptoms. Once a rash has appeared an individual is no longer infectious. People who have recovered from parvovirus B19 have lifelong immunity to the virus and cannot be reinfected.

Parvovirus B19 may cause more serious illnesses, including anaemia and bone marrow failure, in non-immune individuals who are also immunocompromised. If acquired during pregnancy, parvovirus B19 may result in severe fetal anaemia (hydrops fetalis), miscarriage and stillbirth.

Reason for change

This is a new entry.

Update Information

This entry was last updated in:
WB-DSG Edition 203 Release 70