From January 1 to September 30, 2024, the number of deaths linked to fifth disease, caused by human parvovirus B19, is 10.
- The incidence of human parvovirus B19 infection, which results in skin rashes, is now reaching pre-epidemic levels.
- Since January 1, 10 people, including six children and four adults, have died after being contaminated.
- “This number of 10 deaths is higher than the average of 1.8/year for the pre-Covid-19 pandemic period when deaths mainly affected adults,” according to Public Health France.
In May 2023, an unusual number of French people, particularly children, contracted an infection caused by human parvovirus B19. This is epidemic megalerythema, also known as “fifth disease”, which is characterized by a rash on the face, and particularly the cheeks, then red patches, with a pattern reminiscent of lace, appear. on the body, especially on the arms, buttocks and thighs. In the summer of 2023, Public Health France was informed of this epidemic. “Its intensity increased in the last quarter of 2023 and reached its peak in March 2024. Over the following months, a regular decrease in the number of positive IgM tests” was observed, “reaching pre-pandemic levels in September”, indicates Public Health France in one point published October 24.
Parvovirus B19: a positivity rate of 8% in September 2024 compared to 4% in 2019
Indeed, according to the data, although a decline in all epidemiological indicators has been noted since April, the monthly incidence of human parvovirus B19 infections was very close to that of the pre-epidemic period at the end of September. last, with 171 positive IgM tests for B19V in September 2024 compared to 188 in September 2019. “This trend is also observed for the positivity rate,” which was 8% at the end of last month, compared to 4% in September 2019. This dynamic was observed in all regions of France.
“This strong circulation of B19V was the cause of significant morbidity, particularly in pediatric cases, with an abnormally high number of severe cases hospitalized in pediatric intensive care units (precise number not assessed). In pregnant women, the epidemic has caused an increase in maternal-fetal B19V infections and intrauterine fetal deaths. The number of deaths attributed to B19V is higher than the number observed in previous years but remains relatively low. specifies the health authority.
Human parvovirus B19 infection has caused 10 deaths since January 1, 2024
As of September 30, 2024, the number of deaths linked to human parvovirus B19 infection was 10 since January 1. Six occurred in children, including five between January and April. As for the four other deaths that occurred between April and August, they were adults. “This number of 10 deaths is higher than the average of 1.8/year for the pre-Covid-19 pandemic period when deaths mainly affected adults.”
For the moment, the reasons for this epidemic are not clearly established, but as with other viral or bacterial infections, it could be linked to the lifting of health measures, such as barrier gestures, which followed the Covid pandemic. -19 during which “an immune debt may have set in.” In the conclusions, Public Health France assures that it will be attentive to the evolution of the incidence in the coming months through some of the indicators put in place, in order to detect, if the case arises, a second epidemic wave.
