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Kinetics and clinical significance of human herpesvirus 6 DNA shedding in saliva after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Author(s) -
Ogata Masao,
Kawano Rie,
Satou Takako,
Takata Hiroyuki,
Yoshida Natsumi,
Honda Shuhei,
Nagamatsu Kentaro,
Takano Kuniko,
Kohno Kazuhiro,
Kirihara Takehiko,
Sato Keijiro,
Hiroshima Yuki,
Sumi Masahiko,
Kurihara Taro,
Takeda Wataru,
Ueki Toshimitsu,
Kobayashi Hikaru
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
transplant infectious disease
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.69
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1399-3062
pISSN - 1398-2273
DOI - 10.1111/tid.13512
Subject(s) - saliva , medicine , hematopoietic stem cell transplantation , immunology , transplantation , clinical significance , cumulative incidence , gastroenterology
Background Little is known about the kinetics and clinical significance of saliva human herpesvirus‐6 (HHV‐6) DNA after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Methods In this observational study, we quantified HHV‐6 DNA in serially collected plasma and saliva from allogeneic HSCT recipients. Associations between the status of salivary HHV‐6 DNA and the development of HHV‐6 encephalitis, depression, and oral mucosal graft‐versus‐host disease (GVHD) were retrospectively analyzed. Results A total of 787 plasma and 434 saliva samples were collected from 56 patients. The cumulative incidence of HHV‐6 DNA in plasma and saliva at 60 days after transplantation was 51.8% and 83.9%, respectively. The peak level of salivary HHV‐6 DNA was significantly higher in patients who displayed plasma HHV‐6 DNA than in those who did not (median, 51,584 copies/mL vs 587 copies/mL; P < .0001). Salivary HHV‐6 DNA levels increased after positive plasma HHV‐6 DNA was detected and remained high during observation period. Despite the frequent occurrence of positive salivary HHV‐6 DNA, no patient developed depression. Positivity of salivary HHV‐6 DNA was not significantly associated with the development of HHV‐6 encephalitis ( P = 1.00, Fisher's exact test) or oral mucosal GVHD ( P = .71, Grey's test). No significant relationship between salivary HHV‐6 DNA and these diseases was found even when comparing higher HHV‐6 DNA loads in saliva. Conclusion Salivary HHV‐6 DNA levels increased after HHV‐6 DNA was detected in the blood. However, no epidemiological evidence was shown to support a role of salivary HHV‐6 in the development of HHV‐6 encephalitis, depression, and oral mucosal GVHD.