Between April 2023 and May 2024, France experienced an unusual outbreak of Parvovirus B19 (erythema infectiosum virus or fifth disease), with the number of positive serologies being four times higher than in 2019.

The Cerba laboratory, through the 3Labos network, collaborated closely with Santé Publique France to describe this epidemic. Biological data (serology and PCR) as well as essential clinical data were collected, allowing health authorities to be informed, preventive measures to be implemented, and recommendations to be made.

These data confirmed:

• A significant increase in Parvovirus B19 infections during the period,
• An unusual seasonality with two peaks identified in July and then in March 2024,
• A significant impact on morbidity and mortality in children.

This public-private collaboration resulted in the publication of a scientific article in Eurosurveillance: https://www.eurosurveillance.org/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.25.2400339

Congratulations to the Infectious Disease department of Cerba and especially to Camille d’Humières and Laura Verdurme, clinical pathologists and co-authors of the article.