[Cutaneous manifestations of parvovirus B19 infection].

The human parvovirus B19 is a small single-strand DNA virus with specific tropism for the membranous receptor P expressed on erythrocytes and endothelial cells. About 60 - 70 % of the adult population is parvovirus B19 seropositive. The contamination usually occurs through droplets from the nasopharyngeal airways. The major systemic infections present as episodes of aplastic anemia and development of hydrops fetalis. Arthropathies, encephalitis, or glomerulonephritis are less frequently encountered. This review focuses on its cutaneous manifestations including erythema infectiosum, and the purpuric syndromes whose principal manifestation is the papulo-purpuric gloves and socks syndrome. Several other cutaneous manifestations have been reported to be associated with the parvovirus B19 without however strong evidence. These include vasculitis, erythema nodosum, the lupus eythematosus-like syndrome, some vesiculo-pustular eruptions, pityriasis lichenoides and scleroderma.