Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Clin Exp Dermatol 2020 Jul 1. Epub 2020 Jul 1.

Department of Dermatology, Hopital Bichat-Claude Bernard, Paris, France.

We read with great interest the article recently published by Choudhary et al, reporting a fatal case of acute hepatitis failure as complication of a teriflunomide-induced drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS). This hepatitis failure developed after the patient suddenly stopped corticosteroids. Read More

Viruses 2020 Jun 26;12(6). Epub 2020 Jun 26.

Institute of Microbiology and Virology, Riga Stradins University, LV-1067 Riga, Latvia.

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) in autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT) development. We examined the possible involvement of HHV-6 gene expression encoding immunomodulating proteins U12 and U51 in AIT development and their role in the modulation of chemokine signaling. One hundred patients with autoimmune thyroiditis following thyroidectomy were enrolled in this study. Read More

Viruses 2020 Jun 13;12(6). Epub 2020 Jun 13.

School of Medicine, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune inflammatory disease, where the underlying etiological cause remains elusive. Multiple triggering factors have been suggested, including environmental, genetic and gender components. However, underlying infectious triggers to the disease are also suspected. Read More

BMC Cancer 2020 Jun 12;20(1):549. Epub 2020 Jun 12.

Department of neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, No.119 West Nansihuan Road, Beijing, 100071, China.

Background: Glioma is the most common primary brain tumor, occurring due to the carcinogenesis of glial cells in the brain and spinal cord. Many aspects of the mechanism of its tumorigenesis remain unknown. The relationship between viral infection and glioma is one of the most important research aspects in this field. Read More

Int J Hematol 2020 Jun 11. Epub 2020 Jun 11.

Children's Cancer Center, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan.

Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) is one of the life-threatening infectious complications with significant morbidity and mortality following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Clinically, the diagnosis of HHV-6 encephalitis can be challenging due to a lack of specific symptoms and definitive diagnostic tests. We report a pediatric HSCT recipient who developed late-onset HHV-6 encephalitis without typical radiographic findings. Read More

Cureus 2020 May 7;12(5):e8018. Epub 2020 May 7.

Pediatric Neurology, Hospital Nacional De Niños "Dr. Carlos Sáenz Herrera", San José, CRI.

Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) is an important cause of roseola and febrile seizures in children. However, it is also a rare cause of encephalitis, most common in immunosuppressed children. We describe a case of HHV-6 encephalitis with fulminant brain edema in a previously healthy child. Read More

PLoS Pathog 2020 Jun 9;16(6):e1008568. Epub 2020 Jun 9.

Department of Immunology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, P. R. China.

Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) is an important immunosuppressive and immunomodulatory virus worldwide. However, whether and how HHV-6 infection influences the metabolic machinery of the host cell to provide the energy and biosynthetic resources for virus propagation remains unknown. In this study, we identified that HHV-6A infection promotes glucose metabolism in infected T cells, resulting in elevated glycolytic activity with an increase of glucose uptake, glucose consumption and lactate secretion. Read More

Surg Infect (Larchmt) 2020 May 27. Epub 2020 May 27.

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.

Viral infections after burns are less common than bacterial infections but usually occur in the more severely burned patients and have been associated with poor outcomes. Retrospective reviews and case series were examined to provide an overview of the management of viral infections in the burn patient. The most common viral pathogens in these patients are the herpesviruses, which include herpes simplex, varicella zoster, cytomegalovirus, and human herpesvirus 6. Read More

Enferm Infecc Microbiol Clin 2020 May 18. Epub 2020 May 18.

Microbiology Unit, Clínic Hospital, University of Barcelona, ISGLOBAL Institute for Global Health, Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address:

Am J Transplant 2020 May 19. Epub 2020 May 19.

Service de Néphrologie, CHU Lille, Lille, France.

Human herpesvirus (HHV)-6A can be inherited and chromosomally integrated (iciHHV-6A), and donor-to-recipient transmission has been reported in solid organ transplant. However, when HHV-6A reactivation happens after transplant, the source of HHV-6A is often not evident and its pathogenicity remains unclear. Here, we present an exhaustive case of donor-to-recipient transmission and reactivation of iciHHV-6A through kidney transplant. Read More

Transpl Infect Dis 2020 May 18:e13331. Epub 2020 May 18.

Deprtment of Child Health and Development, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Tokyo, Japan.

Human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) is a common pathogen affecting the human population. Primary HHV-6 infection generally occurs during infancy and causes exanthema subitum. Moreover, HHV-6 may exhibit inherited chromosomally integrated HHV-6 (iciHHV-6) in certain individuals. Read More

J Pediatr 2020 May 13. Epub 2020 May 13.

Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN; Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN.

We used the FilmArray meningitis/encephalitis panel for evaluation of sepsis in febrile neonates. We detected human herpesvirus 6, a virus we did not routinely test for previously, in the cerebrospinal fluid of 7 neonates. In all 7 cases, detection of the virus did not warrant antiviral treatment. Read More

Brain Sci 2020 May 11;10(5). Epub 2020 May 11.

Institute of Microbiology and Virology, Rīga Stradiņš University, LV-1067 Rīga, Latvia.

Background: Human herpesviruses (HHV)-6A, HHV-6B and HHV-7 are considered to be involved in the pathogenesis of epilepsy, a common neurological disorder. The objective of this study was to determine the association of roseoloviruses infection with epilepsy.

Methods: 53 epilepsy patients and 104 ordinary blood donors were analyzed to determine presence of virus-specific antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunofluorescence assay (IFA), genomic sequences, viral load and gene expression by polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) and restriction analysis, HHV-6 protein expression by IFA and level of cytokines by ELISA. Read More

J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2020 May 13:1-7. Epub 2020 May 13.

Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.

To determine the prevalence of virus in a previously uncharacterized matched maternal-infant preterm cohort and test if viral presence or viral load correlate with histologic chorioamnionitis, spontaneous preterm labor or pre-eclampsia. Using qRT-PCR/qPCR we tested plasma or whole blood samples from 56 matched maternal and premature infant dyads for: adenovirus, anellovirus (alphatorquevirus and betatorquevirus), cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), enterovirus, human herpesvirus 6 (HHV6), parechovirus, and parvovirus B19. Viral detection was more common in maternal samples 29/56 (52%) than in cord blood from their infants (4/56 (7%)) ( ≤ . Read More

Br J Clin Pharmacol 2020 May 9. Epub 2020 May 9.

Department of Hematology and Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.

Aims: We performed the retrospective analysis to clarify the significance of drug monitoring for mycophenolic acid (MPA), the active form of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), in prophylaxis for graft-vs-host disease (GVHD) in cord blood transplantation.

Methods: We retrospectively analysed the data of 46 patients who underwent first cord blood transplantation and received GVHD prophylaxis with tacrolimus plus MMF. MPA levels were measured on days 7 and 21, and 24-hour areas under the curve (AUC ) were estimated. Read More

Nat Microbiol 2020 Jul 4;5(7):901-908. Epub 2020 May 4.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.

Pre-eclampsia (typically characterized by new-onset hypertension and proteinuria in the second half of pregnancy) represents a major determinant of the global burden of disease. Its pathophysiology involves placental dysfunction, but the mechanism is unclear. Viral infection can cause organ dysfunction, but its role in placentally related disorders of human pregnancy is unknown. Read More

Clin Med Insights Case Rep 2020 18;13:1179547620912952. Epub 2020 Apr 18.

Division of Neonatology/Newborn Medicine, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.

Human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) is a common virus that can cause nearly universal infection in infancy and early childhood. It typically manifests as an acute febrile illness. We describe a case of a premature infant with congenital hydrocephalus secondary to aqueductal stenosis with a ventriculoperitoneal shunt in place who developed intermittent fevers while she was admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit. Read More

Immunohorizons 2020 Apr 23;4(4):201-215. Epub 2020 Apr 23.

Lehrstuhl für Mikrobiologie, Julius-Maximilians Universität Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany;

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a multifactorial disorder with many possible triggers. Human herpesvirus (HHV)-6 and HHV-7 are two infectious triggers for which evidence has been growing. To understand possible causative role of HHV-6 in ME/CFS, metabolic and antiviral phenotypes of U2-OS cells were studied with and without chromosomally integrated HHV-6 and with or without virus reactivation using the histone deacetylase inhibitor trichostatin-A. Read More

PLoS One 2020 22;15(4):e0231974. Epub 2020 Apr 22.

Chair of Epidemiology at UNIKA-T Augsburg, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität München, Augsburg, Germany.

The impact of sex-specific body fat distribution on the susceptibility to five chronic infections, helicobacter pylori and human herpesviruses 3 to 6 (i.e. varicella-zoster, Epstein-Barr, cytomegalo- and human herpesvirus 6), has not previously been examined. Read More

Proc (Bayl Univ Med Cent) 2020 Apr 27;33(2):246-247. Epub 2020 Jan 27.

Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences CenterAmarilloTexas.

Many cases of viral meningitis are idiopathic, but increased utilization of polymerase chain reaction testing has enabled physicians to better recognize rare causes of viral meningitis. This will likely continue to improve the rate of causative agent identification in seemingly idiopathic viral meningitis, including this case of human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) meningitis in an immunocompetent adult patient. More common viral etiologies need to be excluded before diagnosing HHV-6 meningitis, as this maximizes pretest probability and therefore increases validity of a positive result. Read More

J Oncol Pharm Pract 2020 Apr 16:1078155220918022. Epub 2020 Apr 16.

Service Neuroradiologie Diagnostique et Interventionnelle, Hopitaux Universitaires de Geneve, Geneve, Switzerland.

Drug Discov Today Dis Models 2020 Mar 1. Epub 2020 Mar 1.

Neurologia e Neurofisiologia Clinica, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese I 53100 Siena, Italy.

The etiology and pathogenesis of MS is likely to involve multiple factors interacting with each other, and the role of infectious and viral agents is still under debate, however a consistent amount of studies suggests that some viruses are associated with the disease. The strongest documentation has come from the detection of viral nucleic acid or antigen or of an anti-viral antibody response in MS patients. A further step for the study of the mechanism viruses might be involved in can be made using and models. Read More

Braz J Infect Dis 2020 Mar - Apr;24(2):144-149. Epub 2020 Mar 31.

Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine Hamadan, Department of Medical Virology, Hamadan, Iran. Electronic address:

In recent years, extreme attention has been focused on the role of human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) in multiple sclerosis (MS) pathogenesis. However, the pathogenesis of MS associated with HHV-6 infection remains unknown. In this study, we measured the serum levels of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), and vitamin D levels in MS patients with HHV-6 infection and MS patients without HHV-6 infection. Read More

Cureus 2020 Feb 25;12(2):e7098. Epub 2020 Feb 25.

Internal Medicine, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, USA.

Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) is a life-threatening drug-induced hypersensitivity reaction that is most closely associated with antiepileptics and antibiotics. While cases of DRESS are rare, here we present a case of DRESS in an adult male following administration of rosuvastatin who presented with fevers, generalized rash, and facial fullness. Vitals on presentation were temperature 102F, pulse 95/min, blood pressure 95/47 mmHg, and respiratory rate of 14/min. Read More

HIV AIDS (Auckl) 2020 17;12:107-112. Epub 2020 Mar 17.

Institute of Tropical Disease, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia.

Background: Morbidity and mortality from acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) are often associated with the reactivation of a herpes virus infection. Human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) is usually common in childhood infections that remain latent and can act as opportunists during immunosuppression to reactivate and cause disease. In human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients, the impact of HHV-6 infection can be an up-regulator of HIV replication and accelerate progress towards AIDS. Read More

Rinsho Ketsueki 2020 ;61(3):274-279

Department of Hematology, Toranomon Hospital Kajigaya.

A 46-year-old female patient underwent a cord blood transplantation (conditioning regimen: fludarabine/busulfan4/melphalan80; graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis: tacrolimus + mycophenolate mofetil) for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with her 1st hematological complete response to induction therapy (idarubicin 3 days+cytarabine 7 days). She lost her consciousness due to human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) encephalitis on day 31, and therefore, we increased the foscarnet dosage (from 120 mg/kg to 180 mg/kg). Her consciousness level improved after treatment. Read More

Acta Derm Venereol 2020 03 31;100(6):adv00102. Epub 2020 Mar 31.

Department of Dermatology, Nara Medical University Hospital, 840 Shijo, Kashihara, Nara 634-8522, Japan.

BMJ Case Rep 2020 Mar 17;13(3). Epub 2020 Mar 17.

Department of Infectious Disease, University of Toledo Medical Center, Toledo, Ohio, USA.

Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) infection is the cause of roseola infantum in children. The reactivation of HHV-6 is associated with multiple clinical syndromes including encephalitis and myelitis, especially in haematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients. However, the virus can cause encephalitis in other immunosuppressed as well as immunocompetent individuals. Read More

J Dermatol 2020 May 11;47(5):476-482. Epub 2020 Mar 11.

Department of Dermatology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, 791-0295, Japan.

Drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome (DIHS)/drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) is a severe adverse drug reaction characteristically associated with sequential reactivation of herpesviruses, such as human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and cytomegalovirus (CMV). Since systemic corticosteroids are thought to result in viral reactivation due to their immunosuppressive effects, we clarified the influence of systemic corticosteroid therapy on viral reactivation in DIHS/DRESS. Viral DNA in peripheral whole blood and serum sIL-2R level were measured during the disease course in twenty DIHS/DRESS patients. Read More

Nat Rev Neurol 2020 04 9;16(4):193-197. Epub 2020 Mar 9.

ASU-Banner Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA.

The idea that infectious agents in the brain have a role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease (AD) was proposed nearly 30 years ago. However, this theory failed to gain substantial traction and was largely disregarded by the AD research community for many years. Several recent discoveries have reignited interest in the infectious theory of AD, culminating in a debate on the topic at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC) in July 2019. Read More

J Med Virol 2020 Mar 4. Epub 2020 Mar 4.

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

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a disabling multisystem chronic disease. The etiology and pathogenesis of ME/CFS are unknown. Infections of cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) are suspected as etiological agents for ME/CFS. Read More

J Clin Microbiol 2020 Apr 23;58(5). Epub 2020 Apr 23.

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA

Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) is an important cause of meningitis and meningoencephalitis. As testing for HHV-6 in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is more readily available using the FilmArray Meningitis/Encephalitis panel (FA-ME; BioFire Diagnostics, Salt Lake City, UT), we aimed to determine the clinical significance of detecting HHV-6 in order to identify true infections and to ensure appropriate antiviral initiation. Chart review on 25 patients positive for HHV-6 by FA-ME was performed to determine clinical presentation, comorbidity, treatment, and outcome. Read More

Virus Genes 2020 Jun 17;56(3):386-389. Epub 2020 Feb 17.

Division of Systems Virology, Department of Infectious Disease Control, International Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 1088639, Japan.

Approximately, 1% of human population possesses a copy of human herpesvirus 6A and 6B (HHV-6A/B) in the genome. This viral element is referred to as inherited chromosomally integrated HHV-6A/B (iciHHV-6A/B) and is encoded in all of their cells. A recent study revealed that iciHHV-6A/B potentially increases the immune responses against HHV-6. Read More

Mod Pathol 2020 Jul 11;33(7):1433-1442. Epub 2020 Feb 11.

Institute of Clinical and Molecular Virology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054, Erlangen, Germany.

BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) causes major complications in solid organ transplant recipients but little is known about its role in the development of urothelial carcinoma (UC) during immunosuppression. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) screening for polyomavirus large T antigen (LTag) was performed in 94 micropapillary UC (MPUC), 480 unselected UC, 199 muscle invasive UC (including 83 UC with variant differentiation), 76 cases of plasmocytoid, nested and large nested UC and 15 posttransplant UC. LTag expressing UC were reevaluated regarding their histomorphological features and characterized by IHC for p53 and HER2, chromogenic in situ hybridization for HER2 and SNaPshot analysis of the TERT promoter and HRAS. Read More

Reprod Sci 2020 Mar 1;27(3):779-786. Epub 2020 Jan 1.

Section of Microbiology and Medical Genetics, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, via Luigi Borsari 46, 44121, Ferrara, Italy.

We recently reported that human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) infection is frequently present in endometrial tissue of women with unexplained infertility, and that virus infection induces a profound remodulation of miRNA expression in human cells of different origin. Since specific miRNA patterns have been associated with specific pregnancy outcomes, we aimed to analyze the impact of HHV-6A infection on miRNAs expression and trophoblast receptivity in human endometrial cells. To this purpose, a human endometrial cell line (HEC-1A) was infected with HHV-6A and analyzed for alterations in the expression of miRNAs and for permissiveness to the attachment of a human choriocarcinoma trophoblast cell line (JEG-3). Read More

Antiviral Res 2020 04 7;176:104720. Epub 2020 Feb 7.

Institut für Virologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert von Ostertag-Straße 7-13, 14163, Berlin, Germany. Electronic address:

Human herpesvirus 6A (HHV-6A) and 6B (HHV-6B) are members of the genus Roseolovirus in the Betaherpesvirinae subfamily. HHV-6B infects humans in the first years of life, has a seroprevalence of more than 90% and causes Roseola Infantum, but less is known about HHV-6A. While most other herpesviruses maintain their latent genome as a circular episome, HHV-6A and HHV-6B (HHV-6A/B) have been shown to integrate their genome into the telomeres of infected cells. Read More

Br J Dermatol 2020 Feb 9. Epub 2020 Feb 9.

Department of Dermatology, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.

Background: Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) is a condition caused by a drug-induced immune response. Previous reports have found that CXCL10, also known as interferon-γ-induced protein (IP)-10, may participate in the pathogenesis of cutaneous adverse drug reactions. However, the exact role of IP-10 in DRESS and Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS)/toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) has remained unknown. Read More

Viruses 2020 Feb 3;12(2). Epub 2020 Feb 3.

Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.

Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections are common in early childhood. In a prospective Ugandan birth cohort study, most infants acquired HHV-6 (24/31; 77%) and CMV (20/30; 67%) during follow-up. To assess the transmission risk, we modeled a dose-response relationship between infant HHV-6 and CMV infections and weekly oral viral shedding by mothers and all other ("secondary") children in the home. Read More

Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 2020 May 3;26(5):1034-1039. Epub 2020 Feb 3.

Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. Electronic address:

Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) encephalitis has a high mortality rate. Among those who survive, ~80% develop some type of permanent neurologic disorder. Early diagnosis and treatment may help prevent long-term sequelae. Read More

BMC Pediatr 2020 Feb 5;20(1):56. Epub 2020 Feb 5.

Division of Pediatric Infectious Disease, Hauner Children's Hospital, University of Munich (LMU), Lindwurmstraße 4, 80337, Munich, Germany.

Background: Prompt initiation of empiric therapy is common practice in case of suspected meningitis or encephalitis. However, in children the most common pathogens are viruses that usually do not require and are not covered by the applied anti-infective treatment. Novel multiplex PCR (mPCR) panels provide rapid on-site diagnostic testing for a variety of pathogens. Read More

PLoS One 2020 4;15(2):e0228451. Epub 2020 Feb 4.

Department of Oncology, Hematology and Stem Cell Transplantation, University Children's Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.

Viral reactivation occurs frequently in the context of immunodeficiency and immunosuppression after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) and can cause severe complications. The aim of this single-center retrospective analysis was to characterize viral infections in the first year after HSCT, to investigate risk factors and to study the impact of viral infections on transplantation outcome. This will facilitate the identification of at-risk patients and the development of new preventive strategies. Read More

J Periodontol 2020 Feb 3. Epub 2020 Feb 3.

Laboratory of Virology, Institute of Tropical Medicine of São Paulo, School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.

Background: Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have inability to maintain the normal levels of protein metabolism products, blood pressure and hematocrit. Periodontal disease involves an inflammatory destructive process. Identification of opportunistic viruses is extremely important as they are associated with co-morbidities. Read More

Brain Dev 2020 Mar 25;42(3):307-310. Epub 2020 Jan 25.

Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain.

We report a case of a 22-month-old Spanish girl who presented acute encephalopathy with biphasic seizures and late reduced diffusion (AESD). Serum procalcitonin (PCT) reached a maximum of 50.5 ng/mL on the first day whereas C-reactive protein (CRP) peaked at 1. Read More

Neuron 2020 03 23;105(6):1027-1035.e2. Epub 2020 Jan 23.

Viral Immunology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA. Electronic address:

The interplay between viral infection and Alzheimer's disease (AD) has long been an area of interest, but proving causality has been elusive. Several recent studies have renewed the debate concerning the role of herpesviruses, and human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) in particular, in AD. We screened for HHV-6 detection across three independent AD brain repositories using (1) RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) datasets and (2) DNA samples extracted from AD and non-AD control brains. Read More

Case Rep Dermatol 2019 Sep-Dec;11(3):334-337. Epub 2019 Dec 17.

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

We experienced a rare case of drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome (DIHS) in which salazosulfapyridine (SASP) reactivated human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) and cytomegalovirus (CMV), which resulted in a relapse of skin symptoms after changing to mizoribine. At the time of recurrence of skin erythema after the initiation of mizoribine, the serum DNA titers of not HHV-6 but CMV were elevated. A drug-induced lymphocyte stimulation test was negative for mizoribine but positive for SASP. Read More

Nat Med 2020 02 20;26(2):236-243. Epub 2020 Jan 20.

Cutaneous Leukocyte Biology Section, Dermatology Branch, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA.

Drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome/drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DiHS/DRESS) is a potentially fatal multiorgan inflammatory disease associated with herpesvirus reactivation and subsequent onset of autoimmune diseases. Pathophysiology remains elusive and therapeutic options are limited. Cases refractory to corticosteroid therapy pose a clinical challenge and approximately 30% of patients with DiHS/DRESS develop complications, including infections and inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Read More

Elife 2020 Jan 16;9. Epub 2020 Jan 16.

Institute for Virology and Immunobiology, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.

Combining integrative genomics and systems biology approaches has revealed new and conserved features in the genome of human herpesvirus 6. Read More

Elife 2020 Jan 16;9. Epub 2020 Jan 16.

Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.

Human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) A and B are ubiquitous betaherpesviruses, infecting the majority of the human population. They encompass large genomes and our understanding of their protein coding potential is far from complete. Here, we employ ribosome-profiling and systematic transcript-analysis to experimentally define HHV-6 translation products. Read More

J Paediatr Child Health 2020 Jan 13. Epub 2020 Jan 13.

Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou, China.

Pediatr Neurol 2020 04 24;105:10-20. Epub 2019 Nov 24.

Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Department of Neurology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California. Electronic address:

Human herpesviruses 6A and 6B, often referred to collectively as human herpesvirus 6, are a pair of beta-herpesviruses known to cause a variety of clinical syndromes in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals. Most humans are infected with human herpesvirus 6B, and many with human herpesvirus 6A. Primary infection typically occurs in early childhood, although large-scale reviews on the topic are limited. Read More