How Do Viruses Really Cause Neuropathology?: Is There More to the Story

Our work has focused over the years on Primate Erythroparvovirus 1 [more commonly known as parvovirus B19 (B19)]. B19 is a human pathogen that is the causative agent of erythema infectiosum, the common rash disease of childhood. In addition to several other human diseases, B19 has also been associated with multiple brain diseases. Those brain diseases include, but are not limited to, encephalitis, encephalopathy, meningitis, meningoencephalitis, ataxia, seizures, and stroke. To date, the association has grown, but causation has not been determined. Several possible mechanisms of pathogenesis including direct infection, indirect/epigenetic, reactivation, and autoimmune/ inflammatory cytotoxicity, as well as effects due to infection of other organs have been suggested. We will also offer other hypotheses.