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Human herpesvirus 7 is latent in gastric mucosa
Author(s) -
Gonelli Arianna,
Boccia Sergio,
Boni Michela,
Pozzoli Alessandro,
Rizzo Caterina,
Querzoli Patrizia,
Cassai Enzo,
Di Luca Dario
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of medical virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1096-9071
pISSN - 0146-6615
DOI - 10.1002/1096-9071(200104)63:4<277::aid-jmv1002>3.0.co;2-k
Subject(s) - chronic gastritis , gastritis , gastric mucosa , helicobacter pylori , inflammation , stomach , virus , human herpesvirus 6 , immunology , medicine , herpesviridae , helicobacter , pathology , viral disease , virology , biology , gastroenterology
Chronic gastritis is associated frequently with persistent infection by Helicobacter pylori . However, not all patients with chronic gastritis have evidence of H. pylori infection, suggesting that other factors might contribute to the development of gastritis. The present study was undertaken to evaluate a possible etiologic role of human herpesvirus 7 (HHV‐7). HHV‐7 DNA was detected in about 80% of gastric biopsies, both in healthy mucosa from individuals without evidence of inflammation and in biopsies from patients with histologically confirmed chronic gastric inflammation. HHV‐7 was present also in H. pylori negative samples, was associated specifically with gastric tissue and not with residual blood within the mucosa, and was present with high viral loads. HHV‐7 DNA persisted in several patients also after remission of gastric inflammation and the viral presence did not correlate with specific symptoms. Analysis by RT‐PCR showed that HHV‐7 is transcriptionally inactive in chronic gastritis lesions. These observations show that gastric tissue represents a site of HHV‐7 latent infection and a potential reservoir for viral reactivation. J. Med. Virol. 63:277–283, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.