Rare association of Parvovirus B19 infection in Kikuchi's lymphadenitis in Korea

Background and aims: To determine the role of parvovirus B19 (PVB19) in Kikuchi's lymphadenitis of Korean patients. Methods: We detected PVB19 DNA by polymerase chain reaction, and confirmed by DNA sequencing, and immunohistochemical stain in 67 histologically confirmed cases. Results: Male to female ratio was 1:3 and the mean age was 24.6 years. The cases were classified into proliferative type (60.8%), necrotizing type (33.3%), and xanthomatous type (5.7%) and the duration of the disease was well correlated with progression from proliferative, necrotizing and xanthomatous types. PVB19 was detected in only one patient, who was a 33-year old woman and did not show any specific clinicopathologic characteristics from other patients. Conclusions: Although parvovirus may not play an important role in Kikuchi's lymphadenitis in Korean patients, PVB19 may be still considered one of the agents, relating with Kikuchi's lymphadenitis in Korea. In contrast to the previous studies, we concluded that the association of PVB19 in Kikuchi's lymphadenitis may be an incidental finding rather than a constant features of this disease.