Bone lesions in an infant with congenital parvovirus B19 infection

Bone lesions on radiographs of newborns often suggest congenital infections. Skeletal roentgenograms are recommended in the evaluation of suspected congenital syphilis, but bone lesions have been recognized in other congenital infections. We report the case of an infant with hydrops fetalis secondary to congenital parvovirus B19 infection who was found to have bone lesions in multiple long and axial bones on admission to the neonatal ICU. Both the infant and her mother were evaluated for other causes of congenital infection, but no other agents were identified. The bone lesions had nearly completely resolved by 10 weeks of age. Screening of neonates with congenital parvovirus B19 infection for bone lesions may provide additional insight into the incidence and pathophysiology of these lesions.