Prevalence of Parvovirus B19 Viremia among German Blood Donations and the Relationship to ABO and Rhesus Blood Group Antigens

Abstract

Background: Asymptomatic blood donors can transmit human parvovirus B19 (B19V). Methods: We assessed the B19V prevalence among a large cohort of blood donations collected in Germany during 2015-2018. Results: In total, 167 123 donations were screened for B19V deoxyribonucleic acid with 22 cases of viremia identified (0.013% positive). Infections peaked at a 4-year interval and the highest number of cases occurred in the summer months. All 22 infections were found in rhesus D-Antigen-positive donations, suggesting a protective factor in donors who lack this antigen. Conclusions: These findings contribute to our understanding of risk factors for B19V infection among central European blood and plasma donors.