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Ann Rheum Dis 1998;57:375-377 doi:10.1136/ard.57.6.375
  • Concise reports

Low frequency of recent parvovirus infection in a population-based cohort of patients with early inflammatory polyarthritis

  1. Beverley Harrisona,
  2. Alan Silmana,
  3. Elizabeth Barrettb,
  4. Deborah Symmonsa
  1. aARC Epidemiology Research Unit, Stopford Building, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, bNorfolk Arthritis Register, St Michael’s Hospital, Aylsham, Norfolk
  1. Dr B J Harrison.
  • Accepted 28 April 1998

Abstract

OBJECTIVE To determine the contribution of human parvovirus B19 infection in explaining the incidence of early inflammatory polyarthritis (IP) in a population.

SETTING The Norfolk Arthritis Register (NOAR) is a community-based programme aiming to ascertain all new cases of IP arising in a population that lead to attendance at primary care.

SUBJECTS 147 newly ascertained subjects with IP with a disease duration of less than 16 weeks.

METHODS Full clinical appraisal of all subjects who were followed up for three years. B19 IgM assayed with a third generation antibody capture enzyme immunoassay.

RESULTS Only four (2.7%) patients had evidence of recent B19 infection, only one of whom did not satisfy criteria for rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

CONCLUSION B19 infection does not explain more than a small proportion of either RA or undifferentiated IP cases occurring in the population.

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