About our e-newsletters
- Free e-newsletters
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- We do not share your e-mail address
Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
Housecall Archives
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Definition
By Mayo Clinic staff
Parvovirus infection is a common and highly contagious childhood ailment — sometimes called slapped-cheek disease because of the distinctive face rash that develops. Parvovirus infection also has been known as fifth disease because, historically, it was one of five common childhood illnesses characterized by a rash.
In most children, parvovirus infection is mild and requires little treatment. However, parvovirus infection in some pregnant women can lead to serious health problems for the fetus. Parvovirus infection is also more serious for people with some kinds of anemia or who have a compromised immune system.
- Fifth disease. In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2010. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/166343766-3/906090993/2088/245.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05609-0..00015-0--s0880_5038. Accessed Oct. 22, 2009.
- Young NS. B19 parvovirus. In: Goldman L. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/166343766-3/906090993/1492/1323.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2805-5..50399-2_16554. Accessed Oct. 22, 2009.
- Jordan JA. Clinical manifestations and pathogenesis of human parvovirus B19 infection. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Oct. 22, 2009.
- Parvovirus B19 infection and erythema infectiosum. In: Cohen J, et al. Cohen & Powderly: Infectious Diseases. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2004. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/166343766-3/906090993/1209/25.html#4-u1.0-B0-323-02407-6..50010-6--cesec37_250. Accessed Oct. 22, 2009.
- Riley LE, et al. Parvovirus B19 infection during pregnancy. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Oct. 22, 2009.
- Jordan JA. Treatment and prevention of parvovirus B19 infection. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Oct. 22, 2009.
- Reye's syndrome information page. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/reyes_syndrome/reyes_syndrome.htm. Accessed Oct. 22, 2009.
Find Mayo Clinic on