International Journal of Academic Scientific Research ISSN: 2272-6446 Volume 4, Issue 1 (February - March 2016), PP 1-4 www.ijasrjournal.org www.ijasrjournal.org 1 | Page An Overview on Parvovirus B19 with Special Reference to B19 Virus Infection in SAUDI ARABIA Dr. Hatem Qadhy Makhdoom Medical Laboratory Technology Department,College of applied medical sciences,Taibah University, Almadina Almanwra, Abstract: Parvovirus B19 is a small non-enveloped single-stranded DNA virus of the family Parvoviridae and genus Erythrovirus. B19 virus is most known for causing erythema infectiosum (fifth disease) in children as well as numerous other diseases such as arthropathy in adults, Transient aplastic crisis in patients with increased erythropoiesis and persistent anemiain in immunocompromised patients. Parvovirus B19, has been the topic of numerous reviews, however, not many have focused on B19 Virus Infection in SAUDI ARABIA. In this review we compile recent data on human parvovirus B19 and its Infection in SAUDI ARABIA. Keywords: Parvovirus B19, Saudi Arabia, fifth disease, malignant tumors, Transient aplastic crisis INTRODUCTION Parvovirus B19 (recently renamed as erythrovirus) is most known for causing erythema infectiosum (fifth disease) in children, the virus has also been implicated in many other diseases such as arthropathy in adults, Transient aplastic crisis in patients with increased erythropoiesis, as well as persistent anemiain in immunodeficient and immunocompromised patients [1, 2]. Furthermore, Parvovirus B19 was recognized as the cause of hydrops fetalis and congenital anemia [3] in fetus. Parvovirus B19 was discovered for the first time in London in 1975 by yvonne cossart, when cossart observed in an assay for hepatitis B unusual reaction in one of normal blood donor’s serum ( this serum sample was named B19) [4]. Parvovirus B19 is a small non-enveloped single-stranded DNA virus of the family Parvoviridae and genus Erythrovirus, this virus is the only member of Parvoviridae knouwn to cause disease in human, this large family include numerous members that cause disease in animals such as canine parovirus [5], porcine parovirus [6] and Aleutian mink disease virus [7]. The name of parvoviruses comes from parvum the latin word which means small. Actually, parvoviruses are known to be among smallest virus with viral particles of 22 to24 nm in diameter [8]. Their structure is simple and the viral genome (length 5-6 kb) encodes for three proteins: the first one is a nonstructural protein (NS1) with a molecular weight of 77 kDa, this protein is cytotoxic to host cells and subserves multiple replicative functions, and the others are two structural proteins (capsid proteins), viral protein (VP1) with 11 kDa and viral protein 2 (VP2) with 7.5 kDa [9]. Several studies have been conducted to identify B19V genotypes basing on nucleotide divergence, Three B19V genotypes have been identified, genotype 1 which is circulating worldwide, genotype 2 which is