Heart failure & cardiomyopathiesCohort study
Clinical Spectrum of Children With Parvovirus B19–Associated Acute Myocarditis
- Multicentre retrospective observational study
- 11 Italian tertiary pediatric cardiac centres
Authors' conclusion
During the 2024 parvovirus B19 outbreak, pediatric PVB19+ acute myocarditis cases surged in Italy and were associated with severe outcomes.
Study context
- Population
- Children (<18 years) admitted with acute myocarditis, 11 Italian centres, Jan 2022–Oct 2024
- Participants
- 217 cases
- Exposure
- PVB19+ vs PVB19- acute myocarditis
- PVB19+n = 66
- PVB19-n = 82reference
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Death, heart transplantation or durable LV assist device
| Group | Value | Deaths | Durable LV assist devices | Transplantations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PVB19+ | 19.7% | 6 | 5 | 5 |
| PVB19- | 1.2% |
- PVB19+ vs PVB19-: P < 0.001
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
- Admission in 2024 (PVB19+)
- 87.9% · 58 of 66
- Admission in 2024 (PVB19+): 58 of 66
Age and sex of PVB19+ cases
- Median age
- 32 months
- ≤7 years of age
- 51 of 66 (77.2%)
- Boys
- 36 of 66 (54.5%)
Plasma viral load and immunoglobulin M (IgM) positivity (PVB19+)
- Median plasma viral load
- 34 411 copies/mL
- IgM positivity
- 30 of 56 (53.6%)
Histology (PVB19+)
- Available histology
- 26 of 66 (39.4%)
- Lymphocytic myocarditis
- 23 (88.4%)
- Parvovirus B19 DNA in myocardial specimens
- 84.0%
Genetic testing (PVB19+)
- Underwent genetic testing
- 25 of 65 (38.4%)
- Pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants
- 0
Pediatric myocarditis incidence (regional and institutional) · 2024
- Marked increase in 2024, predominantly in children ≤7 years, driven by PVB19+ cases
Original publication
Clinical Spectrum of Children With Parvovirus B19–Associated Acute Myocarditis. Circulation. Published 5 January 2026. doi:10.1161/circulationaha.125.075943
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it