PetriKey

Virus

Parvovirus B19

Small nonenveloped single-stranded DNA virus

PAR-voh-vy-rus B nineteen

virusdnasingle-strandednonenvelopedrasherythroid

High-yield clue

Small nonenveloped ssDNA + erythroid precursor tropism.

Overview

A small DNA virus used to teach slapped-cheek rash vocabulary, erythroid precursor tropism, and aplastic-crisis coursework associations.

Classification

  • Nonenveloped virus
  • Single-stranded DNA
  • Parvovirus

Lab & identification clues

  • Serology/PCR vocabulary
  • Erythroid precursor tropism
  • Small DNA virus contrast

Associations

  • Erythema infectiosum vocabulary
  • Aplastic crisis term
  • Hydrops fetalis association

Commonly confused with

  • Measles virus
  • Rubella virus
  • Adenovirus

Your notes

Original student-study summary. Sources checked: OpenStax Microbiology 2e, NCBI Bookshelf Medical Microbiology, and CDC topic pages where applicable; reviewed 2026-06. Educational only; no diagnosis, treatment, dosing, or specimen-handling guidance.

OpenStax: Microbiology 2e organism classification foundationssourceNCBI Bookshelf: Medical Microbiology organism chapterssourceCDC: CDC disease and public-health topic pagessource