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Attenuation of human herpesvirus 6B reactivation by aging
Author(s) -
Kobayashi Nobuyuki,
Nishiyama Toshiko,
Yamauchi Takashi,
Shimada Kazuya,
Suka Machi,
Kondo Kazuhiro,
Yanagisawa Hiroyuki
Publication year - 2019
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.25434
Subject(s) - seroprevalence , saliva , antibody , medicine , immunology , human herpesvirus 6 , confounding , immunosenescence , titer , seroconversion , population , antibody titer , young adult , body mass index , virology , serology , virus , herpesviridae , viral disease , immune system , environmental health
Objective There has been little research on human herpesvirus 6B (HHV‐6B) in healthy adults and prevalences in different age groups have been unclear. Therefore, the major objective of this study was to evaluate seroprevalence to HHV‐6 antibodies in ordinary working people and examine the effect of aging on seroprevalence. Also, as HHV‐6B is reactivated in saliva, another objective was to investigate an association between age and HHV‐6B reactivation based on measured salivary HHV‐6 DNA levels. Methods Our subjects were 77 ordinary office workers who underwent a health checkup. In this population, we measured anti‐HHV‐6 antibody titers using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay and salivary HHV‐6 DNA levels. In addition to examining an association with age, we examined associations with body mass index, smoking habit, and alcohol consumption as confounding factors. Results There was a significant decrease in the seropositivity of HHV‐6 antibodies in subjects of 50 years and older, and age was significantly negatively correlated with anti‐HHV‐6 antibody titers. Age and salivary HHV‐6 DNA levels were also significantly negatively correlated but there were no significant correlations with other factors. Conclusions Our results suggest that HHV‐6B reactivation is attenuated by aging. Thus, HHV‐6 antibodies steadily decrease in the body with aging.