Parvovirus is often associated with dogs, but people can contract a different strain of the virus. An OSF HealthCare infectious disease specialist explains the symptoms, treatment and who faces the greatest health risks.
by Matt SheehanOSF Healthcare
What is Parvovirus?
It’s nothing new, says Doug Kasper, MD, an infectious disease specialist with OSF HealthCare.
Doug Kasper, M.D.
OSF Infectious Disease Specialist
OSF Infectious Disease Specialist
Symptoms and treatments
The main symptom is a rash that appears on the cheek, referred to as “slapped cheek rash.”
"Right now, we're seeing an increase in Parvovirus cases, but there is some bias to that. We don't routinely check kids for Parvovirus because it's a self-limiting illness. Some kids will get a rash, some will get a fever or not feel well for a bit of time," Dr. Kasper says. “But it usually resolves within a week, and it resolves with supportive care like hydration, sleep and maybe some Tylenol.”
The treatment of parvovirus lands in the realm of common sense. Monitor yourself and your child’s symptoms, wash your hands and stay home when sick. With the virus spread through respiratory droplets, sanitizing commonly touched surfaces is a good idea.
Who is most at risk?
The greatest risk concern is for pregnant women, because mothers can pass parvovirus to the fetus.
"There can be, especially in the first trimester, associated risks with the fetus that would require monitoring with ultrasounds to see if there is a severe infection. There are also older populations that are immunocompromised, specifically those with sickle cell anemia, where Parvovirus can cause problems with anemias or blood cell lines,” Dr. Kasper says.
Parvovirus and dogs
While the human and canine strains of parvovirus are different, Dr. Kasper says viral infections can come from pets, and that’s not limited to just the parvovirus. But he says he’s not worried about the transfer of the virus from dogs to people, because the parvovirus can’t actively change between the two.
