Severe Parvovirus B19-Associated Myocarditis in Children in the Post-COVID-19 Era: A Multicenter Observational Cohort Study.
Russell N., Hatcher J., Best T., Breuer J., Charlesworth J., Muir P., Vipond B., Paulus S., Saxena R., Simmonds J., Vergnano S., Davis P., Kadambari S.
This study describes a cluster of severe parvovirus B19-associated myocarditis cases in children across England in the context of an increase in circulating virus. Cases were identified across 3 large children's centers. Eight cases presented from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2023 as compared with 19 from 1 January 2024 to 31 August 2024. Almost all (n = 25, 93%) required intensive care, and 24 (88%) received inotropes and 4 (15%) extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Myocarditis appears to be temporally associated and a late sequela of parvovirus B19, resulting in high rates of intensive care unit admission. Testing with serology and blood polymerase chain reaction should be part of a syndromic screen for all children with severe myocarditis.