Investigation of Parvovirus B19 Infection Among Iranian Patients with Behcet’s Disease

Background and Aim: Behcet’s disease is rare and can cause inflammation in blood vessels throughout the body. Although various studies have been conducted on the possible association between BD and various pathogens such as viruses, the major cause of this disease is still unknown. Our study aimed to evaluate the presence of B19 in Behcet patients and healthy carriers. Materials and Methods: For the current case-control study, we examined 103 samples including 54 males and 49 females, and 40 healthy control samples. At first, all samples were checked by ELISA technique and then, the level of B19 DNA was confirmed by Realtime PCR. Finally, the results of patients were compared to healthy control samples. Results: A wide range of clinical manifestations was observed in the BD patient group. We found statistical differences in the prevalence of B19 IgG between patients and healthy populations (84.46% vs. 55%, respectively). However, the prevalence of B19 IgM was similar between patients and healthy control groups (4.58% vs. 2.5%, respectively). We couldn’t observe any detectable levels of B19 DNA in the patient and healthy carrier groups. Conclusion: Our results failed to establish a relationship between B19 infection and BD development, but such a correlation has been reported. However, there may be an indirect association between genetically susceptible people after a viral infection.