Primary prevention
As patients with erythema infectiosum are usually no longer contagious at the time of exanthem and arthralgia presentation, it is difficult to prevent spread. However, patients with papular purpuric gloves and socks syndrome (PPGSS) are contagious at the time of their cutaneous eruption.[19] Patients with aplastic crises are contagious from before onset of symptoms and for at least 1 week after symptoms develop.[20] There have been attempts to develop candidate vaccines, but none have been approved to date.[21][22][23]
Secondary prevention
General hand washing and basic hygiene is always encouraged. In environments with high-risk exposure, such as schools or childcare centers, limiting close contact can be challenging. Excluding individuals with parvovirus B19 infection is not effective, as asymptomatic individuals can still spread the virus.[25] Due to the recent increase in cases, maintaining heightened vigilance for infection is recommended, especially in individuals with common symptoms or known exposure to the virus.[15]
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