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The seroepidemiology of human herpesvirus‐6 (HHV‐6) from a case‐control study of leukaemia and lymphoma
Author(s) -
Clark D. A.,
Alexander F. E.,
McKinney P. A.,
Roberts B. E.,
O'Brien C.,
Jarrett R. F.,
Cartwright R. A.,
Onions D. E.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/ijc.2910450507
Subject(s) - seroprevalence , human herpesvirus 6 , lymphoma , etiology , immunology , epidemiology , medicine , case control study , herpesviridae , virus , disease , antibody , leukemia , serology , viral disease , virology , pathology
Sera from an epidemiological case‐control study of leukaemias and lymphomas conducted between 1980 and 1986 were examined for reactivity to human herpesvirus‐6 (HHV‐6) by an indirect immunofluorescence assay. Statistical analyses of the data revealed higher HHV‐6 seroprevalence and antibody titres in the cases, particularly evident in the disease subtypes acute myeloid leukaemia, Hodgkin's disease (HD), and low‐grade non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma. Within the control group alone, HHV‐6 seroprevalence was placed at 55% at a serum dilution of 1:40. The controls also displayed higher seropositivity in females as compared with males. Further analyses suggest an association of increased HHV‐6 seropositivity and geometric mean titre ratio with HD among young adults lacking social contact in the family group. This finding might indicate late exposure to HHV‐6 in such persons and could possibly signify late exposure to a number of viruses, including those hypothesized as playing a role in the aetiology of HD. Previous reports have nominated Epstein‐Barr virus as a possible candidate. Our results suggest that HHV‐6 should be included in further investigations of the aetiology of HD.