Enlarge / A child with a “slapped cheek” rashCDC
A common seasonal respiratory virus that typically infects school-aged children is causing an unusually large spike in cases across Europe and the US this summer. The surge in transmission is a significant danger to certain vulnerable populations including pregnant people, according to a health alert released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday.
The virus is parvovirus B19, aka B19V, which spreads via respiratory droplets and typically causes a mild, two-phased illness in children. The first phase is marked by flu-like symptoms that can include fever, headache, malaise, muscle
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