Earlier today, I took my human son to see his pediatrician. While we were there, the ped and I got into a conversation about Tamiflu and I mentioned its use in the dog world. She was amazed. She also asked about parvo and humans since humans do get parvo (a client lost her baby last year because of it plus my doctor caught it while in med school). The question we both want answered is "Is human parvo and canine parvo the same?" Can it cross over (I know there is a technical word for this but cannot think of it right now) from humans to canines and vice-versa? Thank you in advance.

This what I found about Human Parvo Virus on webmd.com:

"2. Fifth Disease
Fifth disease has been called the "slapped cheek" disease because it causes a red rash on the face that looks like a slap mark. A lacy red rash may also appear on the child's torso and limbs. Fifth disease doesn't always make a child feel ill, but it can feel like a cold early on, before the rash shows up.

The cryptic name is a holdover from medical lingo a century ago, when a French physician assigned numbers to the common childhood diseases characterized by rashes. For example, measles was "first disease," scarlet fever was "second disease," and so on.

We now know that fifth disease is caused by a virus called human parvovirus B19. Up to 20% of children may get the virus before age 5, and up to 60% have had it by age 19. Infections are usually not very serious and go away in seven to 10 days. Many children infected with the virus don't show any symptoms. "In most cases, it's a pretty benign situation," Brady says."

Oops, I hit send too soon. WRT the question of transmission of paro virus between Humans and Canines - here's what's on webmd.com FYI:

"Can I get parvovirus B19 from my pet?

Parvovirus B19 and petsParvovirus B19 infects only humans. Your dog or cat cannot catch or spread fifth disease. Although there are other parvoviruses that infect animals, you cannot catch these from your pet or any other animal.


Author Debby Golonka, MPH
Editor Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA
Associate Editor Pat Truman, MATC
Primary Medical Reviewer Michael J. Sexton, MD
- Pediatrics
Specialist Medical Reviewer Christine Hahn, MD
- Epidemiology
Last Updated March 7, 2007

WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise"

Calves can also get parvo but we were told that strain is not transmissible to humans or dogs... just cattle. I believe the term for an illness that can be transmitted between animals and humans is "zoonotic." There is a form of parvo virus (SPV) that can infect both macaques and humans and that form of parvo IS considered a zoonotic disease so the potential for mutation of other strains is always there.

I was under the impression that Fifth disease also attack joints with alot of pain. Which is really not so much like Parvo would be.