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Human herpesvirus‐6 infections in infants admitted to hospital
Author(s) -
Portolani Marinella,
Cermelli Claudio,
Moroni Alessandra,
Bertolani Maria Francesca,
Di Luca Dario,
Cassai Enzo,
Sabbatini Anna Maria
Publication year - 1993
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/jmv.1890390211
Subject(s) - virology , virus , human herpesvirus 6 , serology , herpesviridae , herpes simplex virus , biology , cytomegalovirus , viral culture , pharynx , viral disease , medicine , immunology , antibody , paleontology
Virological studies were carried out on 3 to 36-month-old patients admitted to the Children's Hospital of the University of Modena with febrile syndrome from September 1990 to February 1991. Virological tests were carried out for human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), adenoviruses, parainfluenza viruses 1, 2 and 3, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza viruses A and B. Viral infections were confirmed in 60.7% patients: 39.6% were correlated with HHV-6, 5.4% with EBV, 5.4% with both HHV-6 and EBV, 5.4% with adenoviruses, 1.8% with HSV-1, 1.8% with CMV and 1.8% with an unidentified herpes-like lymphotropic virus. HHV-6 isolates were obtained from either peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) or pharyngeal secretion of the infected children. HHV-6 infections included both primary infections (72%) and reactivations (28%). Among HHV-6 infected children, 40%, with exanthem subitum, had infections presenting serological evidence of primary infection and virus isolation from PBLs. The remaining cases of primary infection and the cases of reactivation were found in patients with febrile syndrome without rash (60%). HHV-6 isolates were obtained either from PBLs or pharyngeal secretions from these patients. Southern blot hybridization of the DNAs of 4 HHV-6 isolates showed that the circulating HHV-6 strains all appeared similar, but differed from the HHV-6 strain U1102 used as a positive control.