Antibodies to β₂-glycoprotein I and cardiolipin with symptoms suggestive of systemic lupus erythematosus in parvovirus B19 infection

Parvovirus B19 infection may mimic systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in its clinical presentation. Serological abnormalities during acute infection have been reported, including positive antinuclear antibodies and anti-doublestranded DNA antibodies. We describe a patient who, in addition to the clinical and laboratory findings suggestive of SLE, was found to have antibodies to cardiolipin and β₂ glycoprotein I. The symptoms resolved and the antibodies disappeared over a 9 month period. This report highlights the striking similarity between SLE and parvovirus B 19 infection and the potential difficulty in distinguishing between the diseases.