The Parvoviridae family includes the smallest known viruses, and some of the most environmentally resistant. They were discovered during the 1960s and affect vertebrates and insects. Parvoviridae have a genome consisting of single-stranded DNA and an icosahedralcapsid. It is non-enveloped.
Parvovirus B19 was the first human parvovirus to be discovered and is best known for causing a childhood exanthem called "fifth disease" (erythema infectiosum), although it is also associated with other diseases including arthritis.
Parvovirus RA-1 had originally also been associated with rheumatoid arthritis, but this is now thought to have been an error due to laboratory contamination.
