Comparison of human fecal and serum parvo-like viruses.

Parvovirus-like particles found in the sera of two blood donors had the size and appearance on electron microscopy of a virus (B19) found in the serum of a blood donor by Cossart et al. (1975), and those of a virus found in the feces of a normal subject. Antibody to these viruses was detected by immune electron microscopy and immunoelectro-osmophoresis in the sera of 50 children aged 10 to 15 years. Of these, 36% had antibody to the fecal virus, 36% had antibody to B19, and 54% had antibody to the two other serum viruses. The results of these tests suggest that serologically the three serum viruses were similar to one another, but that the fecal virus was distinct. The two blood donors had nonspecific symptoms at the time of viremia. Both donors had developed immunoglobulin M antibody to the virus when tested 3.5 and 4.5 weeks later, but no viruses were detected in the feces or urine.