Persistence of Parvovirus B19 in liver from transplanted patients with acute liver failure.

In this study, we investigated the presence of B19V in liver tissues from patients with acute liver failure (ALF) and evaluated the viral activity in infected liver. Serum and liver samples from 30 patients who underwent liver transplantation for ALF were investigated for B19V infection by real-time PCR, serological tests and examination of B19V mRNA (transcript) expression in the liver. The serum and liver samples from seven patients were B19V DNA positive (10-10 copies/ml). Most of them presented detectable anti-B19V IgG, indicating persistent infection. B19V mRNA was detected in all patients, demonstrating intra-hepatic replication. B19V infection of the liver during the course of non-A-E ALF suggested a role of B19V, which produced the worst outcome in co-infected patients and in patients with cryptogenic ALF, in liver damage.