Initially, parvovirus symptoms typically include sore throat, fever, and an upset stomach. After a few days, these parvovirus symptoms normally ease up and are usually replaced with a bright red rash appearing on the cheeks. The rash might spread down to the torso, arms, and legs and may be slightly raised. When adults get parvovirus, also commonly referred to as fifth's disease, the rash may not appear at all. Instead of the rash, adults often experience soreness in their joints, which could last for up to two weeks.
Children tend to get parvovirus much more often than adults, which is why it is usually considered a childhood disease. Parvovirus is a type of viral infection that is rarely serious unless a person is pregnant or has medical problems, including anemia and immune system disorders. In most cases, parents do not realize their children have the infection until the red rash becomes noticeable across the face. By the time the rash develops, the infection is typically no longer affecting the child, and she will probably not be feeling sick any longer. Additionally, adults who experience parvovirus symptoms may not be aware they have the illness unless they decide to visit a doctor.
It is very dangerous for a woman who is pregnant to get parvovirus during the first half of her pregnancy. The illness could affect the red blood cells of the fetus, which tends to make miscarriage and stillbirth much more likely to occur. Parvovirus is very contagious, but if a woman has already had it once in her life, she is not likely to get it again from an infected person. There are certain medicines that a doctor can administer to pregnant women who have parvovirus that may benefit the fetus, but in some cases it is necessary to do a blood transfusion.
People who are anemic or who have an immune system disorder, such as HIV, are also at risk of becoming very sick from parvovirus. The illness can cause severe anemia in people with compromised immune systems, and people who are mildly anemic may become severely anemic if they catch it. Parvovirus is typically no longer contagious once a person gets through the initial parvovirus symptoms and the rash appears. This is part of the reason why the illness tends to spread so rapidly, because many people don't realize they have it until the rash appears and often mistake the initial symptoms for something else.
