[A family outbreak of parvovirus B19 atypical exanthemas: report of two cases].

Two atypical cases of parvovirus B19 infection occurred consecutively within a family. A 14 year-old patient presented an extended papular-purpuric "gloves and socks" syndrome and two weeks later his mother developed a predominantly unilateral purpuric rash in the limbs with severe malaise. Specific IgM antibodies in the boy and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and serology in the mother, confirmed parvovirus B19 infection. We emphasize the variable presentation of B19 infection within a family. The importance of etiologic studies in the presence of atypical exanthemas and the utility of PCR in the diagnosis of B19 are underscored.