Pregnancy-Associated Parvovirus B19 Infection Causing Postinfectious Glomerulonephritis

Abstract

Background. Postinfectious glomerulonephritis due to parvovirus B19 during pregnancy is not described in the literature. Objective. A case and renal biopsy of postinfectious glomerulonephritis due to parvovirus B19 during pregnancy is presented. Discussion and Conclusions. The patient contracted “fifth disease,” parvovirus B19, in the 10th week of pregnancy, and 2 weeks later developed hypertension, nephrotic range proteinuria, pleural effusions, and evidence of pure red cell aplasia. Serum parvovirus B19 IgM was positive; a renal biopsy was performed, revealing diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis with immunofluorescent and electron microscopic changes consistent with postinfectious glomerulonephritis. Renal, hemodynamical, and hematological parameters returned to normal by the 16th week gestation, and the pregnancy proceeded without further complication to the mother, with term delivery of a healthy infant.

• Case report
• Gestational hypertension
• Glomerulonephritis
• Parvovirus B19
• Pregnancy

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We are indebted to Dr. Chantal Bernard, Department of Pathology Montreal Children's Hospital McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, for providing photomicrographs of the pathology slides.

Declaration of Interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this paper.