J Cell Physiol 2017 Jun 20. Epub 2017 Jun 20.

Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Background Infection with human herpes viruses has been suggested to contribute to multiple sclerosis (MS), while interaction between human herpes 6 (HHV6) and MS remain unclear yet. Here, we conducted a meta-analysis on the relationship of HHV6 infection and MS. Materials and Methods All related studies were collected from major databases. Read More

Transplantation 2017 Apr 7. Epub 2017 Apr 7.

Department of Dermatology, Bichat Claude Bernard Hospital, HUPNVS, Paris, Paris 7 University, France, 46 rue Henri Huchard, 75018 Paris.

J Clin Virol 2017 May 31;93:30-36. Epub 2017 May 31.

Départment d'Hématologie Clinique, CHU de Nantes, Nantes, France; INSERM, U892, CNRS UMR 6299, Université de Nantes, Nantes, France. Electronic address:

Background: Viral infections are well-known complications after allogeneic stem cell transplant (allo-SCT).

Objectives: We compared prospectively incidences of DNAemia and active infections (AI) for five opportunistic viruses (Human Herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), BK polyomavirus (BKPyV), Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Adenovirus (ADV)) and kinetics of immune reconstitution (IR) in adults receiving either double umbilical cord blood (dUCB group) or unrelated peripheral blood stem cell (uPBSC group) allo-SCT after a reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) regimen.

Study Design: Whole blood samples were collected at transplant, every 15days during the first 3 months and at 4, 5 and 6 months post-transplant. Read More

Blood 2017 Jun 8. Epub 2017 Jun 8.

Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States.

Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) species have a unique ability to integrate into chromosomal telomeres. Mendelian inheritance via gametocyte integration results in HHV-6 in every nucleated cell. The epidemiology and clinical impact of inherited chromosomally integrated (iciHHV-6) in hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) recipients is unclear. Read More

PLoS One 2017 1;12(6):e0178481. Epub 2017 Jun 1.

Department of Immunopathology of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Warsaw Medical University, Warsaw, Poland.

Encephalitis is a severe neurological syndrome associated with high morbidity and mortality as well as long-term neurological sequelae. Despite being an important public health problem, very few extensive population-based studies were conducted so far in the world and none in Central Europe. Altogether 114 consecutive patients meeting the initial criteria for encephalitis were enrolled at the Warsaw Hospital for Infectious Diseases between June 2012 and July 2015. Read More

Oncotarget 2017 May 11. Epub 2017 May 11.

Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.

U94, the latency gene of human herpesvirus 6, was found to inhibit migration, invasion and proliferation of vascular endothelial cells (ECs). Because of its potent anti-migratory activity on ECs, we tested the capability of U94 to interfere with the individual steps of the metastatic cascade. We examined the U94 biological activity on the human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB 231, as a model of highly aggressive cancer cell. Read More

J Med Virol 2017 May 23. Epub 2017 May 23.

Department of Pediatrics, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan.

Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6), a member of the betaherpesvirus family, has two distinct species: HHV-6A and HHV-6B. HHV-6B real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) has been used to distinguish between active and latent viral infection. In this study, we developed a real-time RT-PCR assay to detect HHV-6A-specific transcripts and evaluated its reliability for analysis of clinical samples. Read More

Acta Neurol Scand 2017 May 23. Epub 2017 May 23.

Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Larissa, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.

Multiple sclerosis is an immune-mediated disease with an environmental component. According to a long-standing but unproven hypothesis dating to initial descriptions of multiple sclerosis (MS) at the end of the 19th century, viruses are either directly or indirectly implicated in MS pathogenesis. Whether viruses in MS are principally causal or simply contributory remains to be proven, but many viruses or viral elements-predominantly Epstein-Barr virus, human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) and human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) but also less common viruses such as Saffold and measles viruses-are associated with MS. Read More

J Card Fail 2017 May 15. Epub 2017 May 15.

Section of Cardiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.

Int J Hematol 2017 May 13. Epub 2017 May 13.

Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan.

Human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) encephalitis and myelitis following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is frequently life-threatening. We retrospectively evaluated the clinical significance of hyponatremia in cases of HHV-6 encephalitis/myelitis. Using an institutional database and medical records, we identified and retrospectively analyzed 16 cases of HHV-6 encephalitis and/or myelitis after allogeneic HSCT. Read More

Med Hypotheses 2017 May 6;102:41-47. Epub 2017 Mar 6.

Department of Medical Sciences, Microbiology, University of Ferrara, Italy.

Recently, human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) has been implicated in cases of poor pregnancy outcomes. The ability of HHV-6 to disrupt endothelial cell functioning may inhibit the creation of an appropriate uterine environment for implantation and fetal development, resulting in infertility and pregnancy loss, among other complications. Heparin has been used to treat pregnant women who are predisposed to thrombosis, and it has also been used in some women with infertility or recurrent pregnancy loss without associated thrombotic events. Read More

J Neurol Sci 2017 Jun 6;377:112-115. Epub 2017 Apr 6.

Neurological Intensive Care Unit, Neurology Department, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Universitary Hospital La Pitié Salpêtrière-Charles Foix, and Sorbonne Universités, Pierre and Marie Curie University, Paris, France.

J Virol Methods 2017 Aug 2;246:112-116. Epub 2017 May 2.

Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Carol Yu Centre for Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; The Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Electronic address:

Background: HHV-6 reactivation in immunocompromised patients is common and may be associated with serious morbidity and mortality; therefore, early detection and initiation of therapy might be of benefit. Real-time PCR assays allow for early identification of HHV-6 reactivation to assist in providing a timely response. Thus, we compared the performance of an in-house developed HHV-6 quantitative PCR assay with a commercially available kit, the RealStar(®) HHV-6 PCR Kit. Read More

J Infect Dis 2017 May 2. Epub 2017 May 2.

Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, and Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA.

Parainfluenza virus (PIV) 3 infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised individuals with no approved therapies. Our group has demonstrated the safety and efficacy of adoptively transferred virus-specific T cells for the prevention and treatment of a broad range of viral infections including BK virus, cytomegalovirus, adenovirus, human herpesvirus 6 and Epstein-Barr virus. However, this approach is restricted to well-characterized viruses with known immunogenic/protective T cell target antigens, precluding extension to PIV-3. Read More

AIDS Res Ther 2017 2;14:24. Epub 2017 May 2.

Basic Medical College of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.

Background: CSF PCR is the standard diagnostic technique used in resource-rich settings to detect pathogens of the CNS infection. However, it is not currently used for routine CSF testing in China. Knowledge of CNS opportunistic infections among people living with HIV in China is limited. Read More

Semin Cell Dev Biol 2017 Apr 26. Epub 2017 Apr 26.

Infection and Immunity Program and Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address:

Herpesviruses are remarkable pathogens possessing elaborate mechanisms to seize various host cellular components for immune evasion, replication, and virion egress. As viruses are dependent upon their hosts, investigating this intricate interplay has revealed that the exosome pathway is utilised by alpha (Herpes Simplex Virus 1), beta (Human Cytomegalovirus, and Human Herpesvirus 6) and gamma (Epstein-Barr Virus, and Kaposi Sarcoma-associated Herpesvirus) herpesviruses. Virions and exosomes share similar properties and functions. Read More

Pediatr Transplant 2017 Apr 27. Epub 2017 Apr 27.

Department of Pediatrics, Division of Nephrology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.

Pediatric patients requiring kidney transplant after hematopoietic cell transplant receive multiple courses of immunosuppression placing them at risk for infection. To elucidate potential risk factors for infection, we compared the immunosuppressive regimens and infectious complications of pediatric kidney transplant recipients at a single institution who had previously undergone hematopoietic cell transplant from different donors to similar patients reported in the literature. Among the initial four post-hematopoietic cell transplant kidney transplant patients reviewed, viremia episodes were universal, including BK virus, Epstein-Barr virus, and human herpesvirus-6, with one death from presumed BK virus encephalitis. Read More

Brain Behav 2017 Apr 9;7(4):e00670. Epub 2017 Mar 9.

Menzies Institute for Medical ResearchUniversity of TasmaniaHobartTASAustralia.

Objective: Prognosis following a first demyelinating event is difficult to predict, with no genetic markers of MS progression currently identified. Myelin basic protein (MBP) is a major component of the myelin sheath of CNS neurons and may play a central role in demyelinating diseases such as MS. However, genetic variation in MBP has not been implicated in MS onset risk in large genome-wide association studies. Read More

J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2017 Apr 10. Epub 2017 Apr 10.

Department of Metabolic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Japan.

Context: Fulminant type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is thought to be partly caused by virus infection.

Objective: This study investigated the mechanism of β cell destruction in fulminant T1DM after drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome (DIHS).

Methods: We determined the localization of viruses of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and the expression of interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) and viral receptors of Z DNA binding protein 1 (ZBP1) and retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I), together with inflammatory cells by immunohistochemistry of pancreas from an autopsy fulminant T1DM patient with DIHS or seven subjects with normal glucose tolerance who underwent pancreatectomy. Read More

J Allergy Clin Immunol 2017 Apr 7. Epub 2017 Apr 7.

Laboratory of Translational Immunology, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands. Electronic address:

Background: Viral reactivations (VRs) after hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) contribute to significant morbidity and mortality. Timely immune reconstitution (IR) is suggested to prevent VR.

Objectives: We studied the relation between IR (as a continuous predictor over time) and VR (as a time-varying predictor) and the relation between VR and other clinical outcomes. Read More

Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 2017 Jul 5;23(7):1165-1169. Epub 2017 Apr 5.

Department of Pediatrics, Division of Stem Cell Transplant and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California. Electronic address:

Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is curative for many pediatric malignant and nonmalignant disorders but is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, including the development of pericardial effusion (PEF). We report the results of a retrospective chart review performed to assess the incidence, risk factors, and prognostic significance of PEF in pediatric HCT recipient at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital of Stanford University. A total of 119 patients undergoing HCT between January 2010 and December 2013 were selected through the hospital's Pediatric Stem Cell Transplant Program database. Read More

Rinsho Shinkeigaku 2017 Apr 30;57(4):174-179. Epub 2017 Mar 30.

Department of Neurology, Dokkyo Medical University.

A 26-year-old, otherwise healthy man presented with visual abnormality followed by loss of consciousness and convulsion. The patient then developed headache and fever 14 days later. Brain MRI showed hyperintensities in the left cingulate cortex. Read More

Med Mal Infect 2017 Jun 31;47(4):301-302. Epub 2017 Mar 31.

DISSAL Department of Dermatology, IRCCS AOU, San Martino-IST, Largo Rosanna Benzi, 10, 16132 Genoa, Italy. Electronic address:

Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2017 May 22;486(3):706-711. Epub 2017 Mar 22.

Department of Virology, The Jikei University School of Medicine, 3-25-8 Nishi-Shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan.

Human herpesvirus 6B (HHV-6B) causes exanthema subitum in infants and is known to be mildly pathogenic. However, HHV-6B infection can induce febrile seizures in a high percentage of patients, and in rare cases, result in encephalitis. We detected higher levels of interleukin (IL)-1β and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CFS) of patients with HHV-6B encephalitis when compared to those in patients with non-HHV-6B-induced febrile seizures. Read More

J Med Virol 2017 Mar 17. Epub 2017 Mar 17.

Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) and Gulf War Illness (GWI) are debilitating diseases with overlapping symptomology and there are currently no validated tests for definitive diagnosis of either syndrome. While there is evidence supporting the premise that some herpesviruses may act as possible triggers of ME/CFS, the involvement of herpesviruses in the pathophysiology of GWI has not been studied in spite of a higher prevalence of ME/CFS in these patients. We have previously demonstrated that the deoxyuridine triphosphate nucleotidohydrolases (dUTPase) encoded by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6), and varicella-zoster virus (VZV) possess novel functions in innate and adaptive immunity. Read More

Front Neurol 2017 20;8:40. Epub 2017 Feb 20.

Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University , Uppsala , Sweden.

Human herpesviruses have previously been implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) but whether they are causal, facilitating, or confounding factors is yet to be established. A total of 50 AD subjects and 52 non-demented (ND) controls were analyzed in a multiplex assay for IgG reactivity toward herpes simplex virus (HSV), varicella zoster virus (VZV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6). The HHV-6 IgG reactivity was significantly lower in AD subjects compared to ND controls, whereas there were no differences in HSV, VZV, or CMV antibody levels between the groups. Read More

Eur J Haematol 2017 Jun 31;98(6):635-637. Epub 2017 Mar 31.

Section of Haematology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.

Objectives: Inherited chromosomally integrated human herpesvirus-6 (ciHHV-6) is characterised by the complete HHV-6 genome integration into the host germ line genome and is vertically transmitted with a Mendelian inheritance. By now, the only relationship between ciHHV-6 and diseases seems to be with angina pectoris.

Methods: We report a case of an 82-year-old man diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) on October 2014. Read More

Transpl Infect Dis 2017 Jun 12;19(3). Epub 2017 Apr 12.

Department of Hematology, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido, Japan.

Background: Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) encephalitis/myelitis is now a well-known complication after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), particularly after cord blood transplantation (CBT). In this study, we evaluated the risk factors of HHV-6 encephalitis/myelitis.

Methods: We evaluated 253 patients who received allo-HSCT from 2007 to 2015 at our institute. Read More

J Virol 2017 May 13;91(9). Epub 2017 Apr 13.

Department of Cell Research and Immunology and S. Daniel Abraham Institute for Molecular Virology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

The eIF2α protein plays a critical role in the regulation of translation. The production of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) during viral replication can activate protein kinase R (PKR), which phosphorylates eIF2α, leading to inhibition of the initial step of translation. Many viruses have evolved gene products targeting the PKR-eIF2a pathway, indicating its importance in antiviral defense. Read More

Neurology 2017 Mar 15;88(11):1012-1020. Epub 2017 Feb 15.

From the Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) (M.S., M.P.-P., T.A., M.R.R., F.G., J.D.), University of Barcelona, Spain; University of Lausanne (UNIL) (M.S.), Switzerland; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER) (M.P.-P., T.A., M.R.R., J.D., F.G.), Madrid, Spain; Neurology Service (T.A., J.D.), Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain; Neurology Division, Hospital das Clínicas (M.M.S.), São Paulo University, Brazil; Hospital de Base (F.J.C.), Brasília, Brazil; Service of Neurology (M.I.B.A.) and Service of Immunology (M.R.J.B.), University Hospital of Son Espases, Mallorca, Spain; Department of Neurology (L.B., M.G.), Children's Hospital, Boston, MA; Pediatric Neurology Section (A.F.), Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain; Hospital Nacional Edgardo Rebagliati Martins (R.L.C.O.), Lima, Peru; Department of Neurology (M.R.R., J.D.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; Service of Neurology (F.G., J.D.), Hospital Clínic; and Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA) (J.D.), Barcelona, Spain.

Objective: To report the clinical features, comorbidities, receptor subunit targets, and outcome in patients with anti-GABAA receptor (GABAAR) encephalitis.

Methods: Clinical study of 26 patients, including 17 new (April 2013-January 2016) and 9 previously reported patients. Antibodies to α1, β3, and γ2 subunits of the GABAAR were determined using reported techniques. Read More

J Virol 2017 May 13;91(9). Epub 2017 Apr 13.

Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA

The human roseoloviruses human herpesvirus 6A (HHV-6A), HHV-6B, and HHV-7 comprise the Roseolovirus genus of the human Betaherpesvirinae subfamily. Infections with these viruses have been implicated in many diseases; however, it has been challenging to establish infections with roseoloviruses as direct drivers of pathology, because they are nearly ubiquitous and display species-specific tropism. Furthermore, controlled study of infection has been hampered by the lack of experimental models, and until now, a mouse roseolovirus has not been identified. Read More

J Heart Lung Transplant 2017 Apr 6;36(4):481. Epub 2017 Jan 6.

Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA.

Rev Med Interne 2017 Feb 1. Epub 2017 Feb 1.

Service de réanimation médicale, groupe hospitalier Pitié-Salpétrière, 47-83, boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013 Paris, France.

Acute myocarditis must be considered in patients with recent onset of cardiac failure or arrhythmia. Fulminant myocarditis is a distinct entity characterized by sudden onset of severe congestive heart failure or cardiogenic shock, usually following a flu-like illness, parvovirus B19, human herpesvirus 6, coxsackie virus and adenovirus being the most frequently viruses responsible for the disease. In this setting, early recognition of patients rapidly progressing to refractory cardiac failure and their immediate transfer to a medical-surgical center experienced in mechanical circulatory support is warranted. Read More

Clin Infect Dis 2017 May;64(9):1204-1210

Department of Intensive Care Medicine.

Background.: Systemic reactivations of herpesviruses may occur in intensive care unit (ICU) patients, even in those without prior immune deficiency. However, the clinical relevance of these events is uncertain. Read More

Pan Afr Med J 2016 3;24:298. Epub 2016 Aug 3.

Biomolecular Research Center Pietro Annigoni Labiogene, UFR / SVT, University of Ouagadougou BP 364 Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

Introduction: In most developing countries, Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein Barr virus (EBV) and Herpes virus 6 (HHV-6) are not diagnosed in blood donors. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of these viruses in blood donors from the city of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

Methods: The study included 198 blood donors of the Regional Blood Transfusion Centre of Ouagadougou. Read More

J Obstet Gynaecol Res 2017 Feb;43(2):345-351

Šikl's Department of Pathology, Medical Faculty Hospital, Charles University, Pilsen, Czech Republic.

Aim: The aim of this study was the characterization of a new subtype of high-grade cervical squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) with enlarged cells containing bizarre nuclei: so-called bizarre cell dysplasia (BCD).

Methods: A total of 29 cervical cone biopsy samples of this type of dysplasia were studied. Multi-target polymerase chain reaction and in situ hybridization human papillomavirus (HPV) detection was performed in all cases. Read More

Pediatr Int 2017 May 21;59(5):551-556. Epub 2017 Mar 21.

Department of Pediatric Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Eastern Yokohama Hospital, Kanagawa, Japan.

Background: The aim of the present study was to clarify the roles of cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) in immunocompetent children with acute liver dysfunction not resulting from hepatitis virus.

Methods: Sixty-eight children (median age, 3 years) hospitalized as a result of acute liver dysfunction were enrolled in this study. Hepatitis A, B, and C were excluded. Read More

J Neurol Sci 2017 Feb 24;373:138-141. Epub 2016 Dec 24.

Department of Pediatrics, Tokyo Women's Medical University Yachiyo Medical Center, Yachiyo, Japan. Electronic address:

Acute infectious encephalopathy is very frequently observed in children in East Asia including Japan. Acute encephalopathy with biphasic seizures and late reduced diffusion (AESD) is the most common subtype in Japan; however, more than 40% of the patients remain unclassified into specific syndromes. To investigate the underlying pathomechanism in those with unclassified acute encephalopathy, we evaluated brain metabolism by MR spectroscopy. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2017 Jan 23;2017. Epub 2017 Jan 23.

Department of Dermatology, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA.

Pityriasis rosea is a dermatological disease with a well-documented clinical appearance, but less is known about causes and treatment. Bell's palsy is a neurological condition leading to acute idiopathic hemifacial paralysis. Recent studies indicate that human herpesvirus (HHV) 6-7 reactivation may be a contributing factor to both conditions. Read More

J Biol Regul Homeost Agents 2016 Oct-Dec;30(4):1131-1136

Department of Human Pathology in Adult and Developmental Age “Gaetano Barresi” University of Messina, Italy.

Human herpesviruses-6 and -7 (HHV-6 and 7) are considered uncommon causes of central nervous system infection and may occasionally cause encephalitis in young infants, however, the clinical syndrome and incidence are not well defined. In immunosuppressed hosts, reactivation is associated with a worse outcome such as encephalitis, hepatitis, or graft rejection. In immunocompetent hosts, this persistent infection is generally of no consequence. Read More

PLoS One 2017 10;12(1):e0170071. Epub 2017 Jan 10.

A. Kirchenstein Institute of Microbiology and Virology, Riga Stradins University, Riga, Latvia.

Structural and ultrastructural alterations in human olfactory pathways and putative associations with human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) infection were studied. The olfactory bulb/tract samples from 20 subjects with an unspecified encephalopathy determined by pathomorphological examination of the brain autopsy, 17 healthy age-matched and 16 younger controls were used. HHV-6 DNA was detected in 60, 29, and 19% of cases in these groups, respectively. Read More

Virology 2017 Feb 2;502:160-170. Epub 2017 Jan 2.

Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 6, DK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark. Electronic address:

CD46 is a receptor for HHV-6A, but its role as a receptor for HHV-6B is controversial. The significance of CD46 isoforms for HHV-6A and HHV-6B tropism is unknown. HHV-6AGS was able to initiate transcription of the viral genes U7 and U23 in the CD46(+)CD134(-) T-cell lines Peer, Jurkat, Molt3, and SupT1, whereas HHV-6BPL1 was only able to do so in Molt3 and SupT1, which expressed a CD46 isoform pattern different from Peer and Jurkat. Read More

J Neurol Sci 2017 Jan 24;372:239-249. Epub 2016 Nov 24.

Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Australia. Electronic address:

This review discusses the role of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), human herpesvirus 6 (HHV6) and human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) in the onset and progression of multiple sclerosis (MS). Although EBV has been established as one of the causal factors in MS onset, its role in MS progression is still uncertain. Moreover, interactions between EBV and other risk factor on MS development still need more investment. Read More

Pediatr Int 2016 Dec;58(12):1351-1353

Department of Pediatric Cardiology, "Onassis" Cardiac Surgery Center, Athens, Greece.

Histopathology 2017 Jun 10;70(7):1166-1170. Epub 2017 Mar 10.

Departments of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.

Aims: Lymphadenopathy, haematological abnormalities and constitutional symptoms are among the non-specific manifestations seen in drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), an uncommon but potentially fatal cutaneous adverse drug reaction. The ubiquitous human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) plays a unique role in the pathogenesis of DRESS, with emerging data suggesting that reactivation occurs in most cases and contributes to the clinical manifestations, including lymphadenopathy. Further, in the appropriate clinical context, demonstration of HHV-6 reactivation may lend support to a diagnosis of DRESS. Read More

Case Rep Pediatr 2016 17;2016:2483183. Epub 2016 Nov 17.

Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Zaloška 4, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.

We present an infant with acute fever, thrombocytopenia, and leukopenia, coming from an endemic region for tick-borne encephalitis, human granulocytic anaplasmosis, and hantavirus infection. The primary human herpesvirus 6 infection was diagnosed by seroconversion of specific IgM and IgG and by identification of viral DNA in the acute patient's serum. The patient did not show skin rash suggestive of exanthema subitum during the course of illness. Read More

J Virol 2017 Feb 31;91(4). Epub 2017 Jan 31.

Institute of Virology, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité Medical School, Berlin, Germany

Seroepidemiology shows that infections with adeno-associated virus (AAV) are widespread, but diverse AAV serotypes isolated from humans or nonhuman primates have so far not been proven to be causes of human disease. In view of the increasing success of AAV-derived vectors in human gene therapy, definition of the in vivo sites of wild-type AAV persistence and the clinical consequences of its reactivation is becoming increasingly urgent. Here, we identify the presumed cell type for AAV persistence in the human host by highly sensitive AAV PCRs developed for the full spectrum of human AAV serotypes. Read More

J Gen Virol 2016 Dec 24;97(12):3359-3367. Epub 2016 Oct 24.

8​Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California at San Francisco, CA, USA 2​Blood Systems Research Institute, San Francisco, CA, USA.

Viral nucleic acids present in the plasma of 498 Kenyan adults with unexplained fever were characterized by metagenomics analysis of 51 sample pools. The highest to lowest fraction of plasma pools was positive for parvovirus B19 (75 %), pegivirus C (GBV-C) (67 %), alpha anellovirus (59 %), gamma anellovirus (55 %), beta anellovirus (41 %), dengue virus genotype 2 (DENV-2) (16 %), human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (6 %), human herpesvirus 6 (6 %), HBV (4 %), rotavirus (4 %), hepatitis B virus (4 %), rhinovirus C (2 %), Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV; 2 %) and Kadipiro virus (2 %). Ranking by overall percentage of viral reads yielded similar results. Read More

Eur J Neurol 2016 Dec;23(12):e76-e77

Department of Neurology, Neurological Institute, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.

Microbiol Immunol 2016 Nov;60(11):770-777

Laboratory of Transmissible Diseases and Biological Active Substances, LR99ES27, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Monastir, Street Avicenne 5000, Monastir, Tunisia.

Primary infection with human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6), is followed by its lifelong persistence in the host. Most T-cell responses to HHV-6 have been characterized using peripheral blood from healthy adults; however, the role of HHV-6 infection in immune modulation has not been elucidated for some diseases. Therefore, in this study the immune response to HHV-6 infection in patients with B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) was analyzed. Read More