 | ||
|
| |    Parvovirus B19 Infection: Spread and Prevention by Lynn Cates, M.D., F.A.A.P. reviewed by Laura Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P. Although parvovirus B19 usually only causes the mild childhood infection fifth disease, it also is capable of causing more serious infections in some individuals. In order to reduce the risk of infection for those people, it is important to understand how this virus is transmitted. How is parvovirus B19 spread? Parvovirus B19 can be spread in three ways:
How long after my child is exposed will she get sick? The time between when a child is exposed to parvovirus B19 and when she actually develops symptoms (also known as the incubation period) is generally 4 to 14 days, but may be up to 21 days. Is fifth disease more likely to occur at a certain time of year? Parvovirus disease can occur anytime, but it tends to be more common in late winter and early spring. Some cases of fifth disease are sporadic, but others are part of community or school outbreaks (particularly in elementary school). Can children with fifth disease attend daycare or school? Yes. It is fine for otherwise healthy children to attend daycare or school classes, because not only does this infection rarely make them very sick, but they actually aren't contagious once their symptoms develop. Is this the same parvovirus that affects pets? Parvovirus B19 only infects humans; it is not the same as the animal parvoviruses you may hear about from your veterinarian when he suggests parvovirus immunization for your dog or cat. Children and animals do not catch parvovirus infection from one another. Prevention Because parvovirus B19 is everywhere, and because most people are infectious before they develop any symptoms, it is extremely difficult to prevent this infection. Therefore, it is not generally recommended that women who are of childbearing age or who are pregnant be excluded from such settings as daycare centers or schools when children are known to be infected. Once someone has had the infection, it is unlikely that they will get it again. On the other hand, some hospitalized patients with this infection are highly contagious, so they should be isolated and pregnant healthcare workers should be advised of the potential risks to the fetus. Those same workers should observe strict isolation precautions if they care for such patients.
| |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| About Us |
Contact Us |
Our Partners Privacy Policy | Ethics | Advertising Policy | Terms of Service © Copyright 2004 The Dr. Spock Company. All Rights Reserved. THIS SITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. The information drSpock.com
provides is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for
professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your health care
professional if you have a specific health concern. Mention or advertisement
of any product, service, or brand does not constitute endorsement, guarantee,
or recommendation by The Dr. Spock Company. Please read our full
Terms of Service. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
