Co-prevalence of Human Parvovirus 4 and Primate Erythroparvovirus 1 (B19) in Sickle Cell Disease and Healthy Populations

Background: Human Parvovirus 4 (P4) is a non-enveloped, single-stranded DNA virus belonging to the Tetraparvovirus genus within the Parvoviridae family. Epidemiologically, P4 exhibits similarities with its well-established family member, primate erythroparvovirus 1 (known as B19), a blood-borne virus implicated in causing aplastic crises in individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD). Despite the acknowledged association with B19, there is a dearth of prior investigations into the prevalence and clinical significance of P4 in SCD patients. Objectives: This study aims to ascertain the prevalence and outcomes of P4, along with exploring the co-prevalence of P4 with B19 in individuals with SCD. Methods: A total of 165 participants were enrolled, comprising 120 individuals with SCD and 45 healthy controls. The prevalence of P4 and B19 DNA was determined utilizing a nested-PCR method. Sequencing was performed on positive samples to validate the diagnosis, and a phylogenetic tree was constructed based on the sequencing results. Correlations in the data were analyzed using statistical methods. Results: The prevalence of P4 and B19, as well as the co-prevalence of these viruses, was significantly higher in SCD patients than in healthy individuals. Moreover, the prevalence of P4 did not exhibit a significant correlation with variables such as age, sex, aplastic crises, or specific complications associated with SCD. Conclusions: Sickle cell disease patients represent a susceptible population for P4 infection, as indicated by the heightened prevalence observed in this study.