Parvovirus B19 Vaccination Status
No, regular vaccination schedules do not include a vaccine against parvovirus B19—there is currently no approved vaccine available for this virus.
Current Vaccine Availability
No licensed vaccine exists for parvovirus B19 in any country, despite the virus being a recognized human pathogen that causes erythema infectiosum (fifth disease), transient aplastic crisis in patients with hemolytic disorders, and potentially severe fetal complications including hydrops fetalis and pregnancy loss 1, 2.
Parvovirus B19 does not appear in any U.S. immunization schedule for adults or children, as confirmed by the most recent CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations from 2024, which list all routinely recommended vaccines including influenza, COVID-19, MMR, varicella, hepatitis A/B, HPV, pneumococcal, meningococcal, Tdap, RSV, and others—but no parvovirus B19 vaccine 3.
The comprehensive adult immunization schedules from 2009 through 2024 consistently omit parvovirus B19 vaccination, confirming it has never been part of routine immunization protocols 3.
Vaccine Development Status
Experimental vaccines are in development but none have received regulatory approval. Research efforts have focused on virus-like particle (VLP) vaccines, with recent studies demonstrating that VLPs lacking phospholipase A2 activity can induce neutralizing antibodies without inflammatory side effects in animal models 4.
A 2022 study showed that recombinant VLPs with increased VP1 content elicit stronger neutralizing antibody responses against parvovirus B19, suggesting promise as a candidate immunogen, but this remains in the research phase 5.
Clinical Implications
Prevention relies entirely on reducing exposure, particularly for high-risk populations including pregnant women, immunocompromised patients, and individuals with underlying hemolytic disorders 1, 6.
Pregnant women face the greatest risk from parvovirus B19 infection, with potential for severe fetal anemia, hydrops fetalis, and pregnancy loss, especially when infection occurs in the first or second trimester—yet no vaccine is available for prevention 1.
Current management focuses on serological screening (IgG and IgM antibody testing) to identify susceptible pregnant women and monitoring infected fetuses with middle cerebral artery Doppler for anemia, with intrauterine transfusion as treatment for severe cases 1.
Common Pitfall to Avoid
- Do not confuse parvovirus B19 with other vaccine-preventable childhood illnesses. While it causes "fifth disease" in children, it is distinct from measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella—all of which have available vaccines in the MMR and varicella formulations 3.