Summary: 

Scientists were trying to test the presence of Parvovirus B19 in heart tissue and if that could cause cardiac diseases such as acute myocarditis(inflammation of the heart muscle),dilative cardiomyopathy(enlarged heart),idiopathic left ventricular dysfunction(enlargement of the left ventricle with no causes),peripartum cardiomyopathy(enlargement of the heart after delivery). This was tested because B19 DNA was detected in endomyocardial biopsy specimens by PCR as the presence of B19 DNA was previously reported in bone marrow, skin, tonsils, liver and synovia. Myocardial autopsy and blood samples were collected from 69 bodies(29 females, 40 males) and were sent in for inquests,then all of the subjects were screened for B-19 specific antibodies. The tissue samples of the subjects were analyzed for viral DNA by PCR. B19 DNA was found in myocardial samples of 46 out of 49 seropositive but not in any of the 21 seronegative.  B19 IGg antibodies were detected in 72% of the people who died from a cardiovascular cause of death and 69% was detected in people who died from other causes. As seen above there was no significant difference between the two numbers, to really conclude that B19 does cause cardiac diseases.



Link to journal: http://jcm.asm.org/content/47/1/106.full.pdf+html