Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2019 Feb 13. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Poisoning Detection Center, Shenzhen Prevention and Treatment Center for Occupational Diseases, Shenzhen, China.

Purpose: Occupational trichloroethylene hypersensitivity syndrome (OTHS) clinically manifests as generalized severe rash resembling drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome (DIHS) and afflicts predominantly HLA-B*13:01 gene carriers after their exposure to trichloroethylene. Meanwhile, OTHS may also be associated with human herpesvirus such as herpesvirus-6 (HHV6) and cytomegalovirus (HCMV) reported to participate in the pathology of DIHS. This study explored the association of carrying HHV6 and HCMV, and the joint association of carrying HLA-B*13:01 and HHV6 and HCMV with OTHS. Read More

Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2019 Feb 11. Epub 2019 Feb 11.

Univ Michigan, Internal Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States ;

Rationale: "Non-infectious" pulmonary complications are significant causes of morbidity and mortality post allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant. Early onset viral reactivations or infections are common after transplant. Whether the first onset viral infection causes "non-infectious" pulmonary complications is unknown. Read More

Liver Transpl 2019 Jan 28. Epub 2019 Jan 28.

Division of Hepatology, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, TX.

A 55-years-old Caucasian male presented with chest pain, dyspnea and hypotension four-months after simultaneous liver and kidney transplantation. His post-transplant course was complicated with only one episode of acute cellular rejection one month prior to presentation, successfully treated with steroids. His immunosuppression consisted of tacrolimus and mycophenolic acid. Read More

J Alzheimers Dis 2019 Jan 21. Epub 2019 Jan 21.

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

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, where neuroinflammation and immune cells are key pathological factors. Recently it was suggested a possible association between AD and human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) infection. Since we recently observed that multiple sclerosis patients with KIR2DL2 expression on natural killer (NK) cells are more susceptible to herpesvirus infection, we tested the possible implication of KIR/HLA genetic for HHV-6A infection. Read More

J Dermatol 2019 Jan 21. Epub 2019 Jan 21.

Department of Dermatology, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.

Drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome (DIHS), also referred to as drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), is a multi-organ systemic drug reaction characterized by hematological abnormalities and reactivation of human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6). DIHS/DRESS is typically associated with a limited number of drugs, such as the anticonvulsants. Our group has treated 12 patients for DIHS/DRESS due to lamotrigine (LTG), but their presentation differed from that of patients with DIHS/DRESS caused by other drugs. Read More

Eur Neurol 2019 Jan 18;80(5-6):129-135. Epub 2019 Jan 18.

Department of Neurology, Medical University of Białystok, Białystok, Poland.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system that leads to inflammation, demyelination and neurodegeneration. Viral aetiology has been suspected to be an MS trigger for a long time, and herpesviruses (HSs) are among the potential pathogens involved.

Objectives: The present investigation aims to detect the presence of antibodies against the herpes simplex virus (HSV), varicella-zoster virus, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), human cytomegalovirus (CMV) and human herpesvirus 6 (HHV6) in the serum of MS patients and control individuals in north-eastern Poland. Read More

BMC Ophthalmol 2019 Jan 16;19(1):19. Epub 2019 Jan 16.

Department of Ophthalmology, Toho University Ohashi Medical Center, 2-22-36, Ohashi, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 153-8515, Japan.

Background: To report the first case of human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) corneal endotheliitis that developed after intravitreal ranibizumab injections.

Case Presentation: A 63-year-old man with a medical history of diabetes and systemic steroid treatment for bullous pemphigoid had been receiving intravitreal injections of ranibizumab in the left eye for 2 years according to a Pro Re Nata treatment regimen for macular edema associated with branch retinal vein occlusion. Twenty days after the last injection, the patient presented with pain and decreased visual acuity in his left eye. Read More

Indian J Nephrol 2018 Nov-Dec;28(6):477-481

Laboratory of Pathology Souss, Agadir, Morocco.

Allopurinol-induced drug reactions with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) is a severe illness related to hypersensitivity syndrome characterized by fever, skin rash, lymph node enlargement, hematological abnormalities, especially eosinophilia and atypical lymphocytosis, and single or multiple organ involvement. The syndrome is difficult to diagnose in view of its clinical heterogeneity and long latency period within 8 weeks after start treatment. We report a case of DRESS syndrome in a 64-year-old man, induced by allopurinol treatment for asymptomatic hyperuricemia, started 8 weeks earlier but stopped only 3 days after because of the onset of rash. Read More

J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc 2018 Dec;7(suppl_2):S75-S78

Seattle Children's Research Institute and Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle.

Human herpesvirus 6B (HHV-6B) is a ubiquitous pathogen that infects most individuals before the age of three years. HHV-6B reactivates in approximately 40% of transplant recipients where it has been associated with a number of important outcomes, especially in allogeneic transplant recipients. This article will review the epidemiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment of HHV-6B infection. Read More

Front Immunol 2018 6;9:2803. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

International Centre for Infectiology Research, INSERM U1111, CNRS UMR5308, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, University of Lyon, Lyon, France.

The aberrant expression of human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) elements of the HERV-W family has been associated with different diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS). In particular, the expression of the envelope protein (Env) from the multiple sclerosis-associated retrovirus (MSRV), a member of HERV-W family and known for its potent proinflammatory activity, is repeatedly detected in the brain lesions and blood of MS patients. Furthermore, human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) infection has long been suspected to play a role in the pathogenesis of MS and neuroinflammation. Read More

Curr Opin Pediatr 2018 Dec 17. Epub 2018 Dec 17.

Division of Pediatric Nephrology, Hypertension and Pheresis, Washington University School of Medicine and St Louis Children's Hospital, St. Louis.

Purpose Of Review: Infections represent a significant source of morbidity and mortality after kidney transplantation in children. We review recent advances in epidemiology, assessment, prevention and treatment for several different infections.

Recent Findings: Infections, such as bacterial urinary tract infection or opportunistic viral infection remain common, may be increasing and represent a large proportion of hospitalization. Read More

Front Oncol 2018 13;8:512. Epub 2018 Nov 13.

Department of Pathology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States.

In order to determine the role of human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) in human disease, several confounding factors, including methods of detection, types of controls, and the ubiquitous nature of the virus, must be considered. This is particularly problematic in the case of cancer, in which rates of detection vary greatly among studies. To determine what part, if any, HHV-6 plays in oncogenesis, a review of the literature was performed. Read More

Sci Rep 2018 Dec 6;8(1):17683. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Section of Microbiology and Medical Genetics, Department of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, 44121, Italy.

We have previously reported that human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) infection of endothelial cells (ECs) induces the loss of angiogenic properties, through the expression of HHV-6 U94, possibly associated to the release of a soluble mediator. It is also known that the soluble isoform of HLA-G exhibits an anti-angiogenic function, important in implantation, transplantation and neoplastic development. In this study, we analyzed the expression of HLA-G in HHV-6 infected ECs, showing that both HHV-6A and HHV-6B infection induce a potent up-modulation of HLA-G, including both membrane and soluble isoforms. Read More

Cancer Manag Res 2018 20;10:5991-6001. Epub 2018 Nov 20.

Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China,

Purpose: We previously found the involvement of human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) infection in the pathogenesis of glioma. U94/rep, encoded by HHV-6, has been identified to play a vital role in viral gene expression and latency. Recent studies have shown its inhibition of angiogenesis and tumorigenesis in endothelial cells and prostate cancer cell line PC3, respectively. Read More

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018 12 11;115(52):E12126. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Iranian Center of Neurological Research, Department of Neurology, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1419733141, Iran

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018 12 11;115(52):E12127. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Viral Immunology Section, National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892

Mol Genet Metab Rep 2019 Mar 20;18:1-6. Epub 2018 Nov 20.

Department of Hematology and Oncology, Children' Medical Center, Japanese Red Cross Nagoya First Hospital, Nagoya, Japan.

Objective: The prognosis of adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD)with neurological involvement is generally dismal; however, allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) is recognized as effective to stabilize or improve the clinical symptoms of ALD. Herein, we report the clinical outcomes of patients with ALD who consecutively underwent allogeneic stem cell transplantation with reduced intensity conditioning at our institution.

Patients: Sixteen patients with ALD, who were symptomatic (n = 14) or presymptomatic (n = 2), received SCT from 2010 to 2016. Read More

Viruses 2018 11 21;10(11). Epub 2018 Nov 21.

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

Human herpesvirus-6A and -6B (HHV-6A and -6B) are two closely related betaherpesviruses that infect humans. Upon primary infection they establish a life-long infection termed latency, where the virus genome is integrated into the telomeres of latently infected cells. Intriguingly, HHV-6A/B can integrate into germ cells, leading to individuals with inherited chromosomally-integrated HHV-6 (iciHHV-6), who have the HHV-6 genome in every cell. Read More

Wiad Lek 2018 ;71(7):1289-1294

Sumy State University, Sumy, Ukraine.

Objective: Introduction: Herpesviruses (HVs) are ubiquitous pathogens that infect humans usually during childhood, followed by a life-long persistence in a latent state in many sites of a body including the nerve cells. After reactivation HVs can affect the Central Nervous System (CNS) becoming a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide as well as long-term neurological sequelae. Despite being an important public health problem very few population-based studies were conducted so far in the world and none in Ukraine. Read More

J Infect Dis 2018 Nov 10. Epub 2018 Nov 10.

Department of Surgery, Division of Abdominal Transplantation and Stanford Immunology, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, CA.

Background: Liver failure of unknown etiology (LFUE) has a transplant-free survival rate of less than 25%. Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) may be associated with LFUE, but existing studies are limited by small sample size.

Methods: We identified all children who underwent liver transplant for LFUE at a single quaternary children's hospital. Read More

Transpl Infect Dis 2019 Feb 27;21(1):e13024. Epub 2018 Nov 27.

Division of Medical Oncology/Hematology, Department of Medicine, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan.

Background: Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) encephalitis is a known life-threatening complication following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). However, few studies have focused on the occurrence of HHV-6 encephalitis in patients receiving mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) combined with a calcineurin inhibitor as prophylaxis for graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). This study aimed to investigate the impact of MMF administered for GVHD prophylaxis in the occurrence of HHV-6 encephalitis after allo-HSCT and the characteristics of this condition. Read More

Endocr Metab Immune Disord Drug Targets 2018 Nov 6. Epub 2018 Nov 6.

Microbiology and Virology Unit, Policlinico University Hospital of Bari. Italy.

Background And Objective: Leukocytoclastic vasculitis (LCV) is a small vessel vasculitis that can be limited to the skin but may also affect other organs. Often, its cause is unknown. LCV has previously been reported to occur with the reactivation of human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6). Read More

Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 2018 Oct 22. Epub 2018 Oct 22.

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

Viral infection is a serious complication that can greatly affect patient mortality and morbidity after allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). For the early identification of patients at high risk for viral infection, we evaluated the impact of lymphocyte area under the curve (AUC) value as a new predictive factor for early immune reconstitution after allo-HSCT against viral infection. This study included 286 patients who underwent their first allo-HSCT at Kyoto University Hospital between 2005 and 2017. Read More

Front Neurol 2018 5;9:834. Epub 2018 Oct 5.

Division of Neuroimmunology and Neurovirology, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD, United States.

One third of children with epilepsy are refractory to medications. Growing data support a role of common childhood infections with neurotropic viruses and inflammation in epileptogenesis. Our objective was to determine the frequency of Human Herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) and Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) infection and cytokine levels in saliva from children with seizures compared to healthy controls and to controls with a febrile illness without seizures. Read More

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018 10 15;115(44):11292-11297. Epub 2018 Oct 15.

Viral Immunology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892;

Pathogens, particularly human herpesviruses (HHVs), are implicated as triggers of disease onset/progression in multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neuroinflammatory disorders. However, the time between viral acquisition in childhood and disease onset in adulthood complicates the study of this association. Using nonhuman primates, we demonstrate that intranasal inoculations with HHV-6A and HHV-6B accelerate an MS-like neuroinflammatory disease, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Read More

Transfusion 2018 Nov 4;58(11):2617-2626. Epub 2018 Oct 4.

Research and Development Division, Japan Blood Products Organization, Tokyo, Japan.

Background: Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) contains immunoglobulin G against various viruses, except those that have been screened, such as human immunodeficiency and hepatitis C viruses. Antivirus titers reflect the serostatus of the blood donor population in the collection region and are of clinical interest.

Study Design And Methods: During the past 10 years, measles, mumps, rubella, varicella-zoster, hepatitis A and B, Epstein-Barr, and human respiratory syncytial viruses; human parainfluenza viruses 1, 2, and 3; human herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2; human herpesvirus 6; cytomegalovirus (CMV); human adenoviruses (HAdVs) 1, 2, 3, 7, and 11; human parvovirus B19; and human echovirus 9 and 11 titers in IVIG lots have been measured by a commercial testing facility. Read More

Continuum (Minneap Minn) 2018 Oct;24(5, Neuroinfectious Disease):1349-1369

Purpose Of Review: This article reviews the spectrum of neurologic disease associated with human herpesvirus infections.

Recent Findings: As more patients are becoming therapeutically immunosuppressed, human herpesvirus infections are increasingly common. Historically, infections with human herpesviruses were described as temporal lobe encephalitis caused by herpes simplex virus type 1 or type 2. Read More

Transpl Infect Dis 2019 Feb 15;21(1):e13003. Epub 2018 Oct 15.

Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical Center, Worcester, Massachusetts.

Background: Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV6) is a cause of post-transplant acute limbic encephalitis (PALE). Seizures are associated with this disorder yet no predictive biomarkers have been identified. The objective of this study was to evaluate lab and neurodiagnostic biomarkers in patients with HHV6 associated PALE. Read More

ESC Heart Fail 2018 10 31;5(5):846-857. Epub 2018 Aug 31.

Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, University Hospital, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.

Aim: The aim of this study is to analyse the prognostic value of complement anaphylatoxin receptors in patients with non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy undergoing endomyocardial biopsy.

Methods And Results: In 102 patients (72.5% male patients, median age 54 years) with non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy, myocardial expression of C3aR was assessed among other parameters. Read More

Mediators Inflamm 2018 6;2018:6020625. Epub 2018 Aug 6.

Department of Dentistry, University Santo Amaro, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.

This study evaluated the presence of cytokines (IL-1, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, MCP-1, MIP-1, MIP-1, and TNF-) and human herpesvirus (HSV1, HSV2, EBV, CMV, VZV, HHV6, HHV7, and HHV8) in saliva samples taken from subjects with and without peri-implantitis. Forty-two periodontally healthy subjects were divided according to peri-implant condition: healthy and peri-implantitis groups. The clinical parameters as probing depth, clinical attachment level, plaque index, gingival bleeding, bleeding on probing, and suppuration were evaluated. Read More

Int J Hematol 2018 Dec 28;108(6):580-587. Epub 2018 Aug 28.

Department of Clinical Oncology/Hematology, The Jikei University School of Medicine, 3-25-8 Nishi-Shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 105-8461, Japan.

Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is one of the adverse events in multiple myeloma (MM) patients treated with cytotoxic agents, proteasome inhibitors (PIs), and immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs) such as bortezomib, lenalidomide, and thalidomide. The aims of our study were to prospectively analyze the clinical significance of CRF, and to evaluate the cumulative incidence of CRF and the survival rates of 16 MM patients who were treated with PIs and IMiDs. Reactivation of salivary human herpes virus (HHV)-6 and HHV-7 was analyzed using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Read More

N Engl J Med 2018 Aug;379(8):775-785

From the Departments of Medicine (S.E.T.), Radiology (S.M.), and Pathology (G.E.), Massachusetts General Hospital, the Department of Dermatology, Brigham and Women's Hospital (W.G.T.), and the Departments of Medicine (S.E.T.), Dermatology (W.G.T.), Radiology (S.M.), and Pathology (G.E.), Harvard Medical School - all in Boston.

Virus Res 2018 09 18;256:134-141. Epub 2018 Aug 18.

Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address:

Background: Human herpesvirus 6B (HHV-6B) is a neurotropic virus that has been repeatedly associated with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE). However, the mechanism behind this suggested association is not known. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate what genes were affected by HHV-6B, possibly revealing HHV-6B induced disease causing mechanisms. Read More

Cytotherapy 2018 Sep 17;20(9):1182-1190. Epub 2018 Aug 17.

Division of Molecular Therapy, Advanced Clinical Research Center, The Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. Electronic address:

Background: Restoration of virus-specific immunity by virus specific T cells (VSTs) offers an attractive alternative to conventional drugs, and can be highly effective in immunocompromised patients, including hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients. However, conventional VSTs manufacture requires preparation of specialized antigen-presenting cells (APCs), prolonged ex vivo culture in serum-containing medium and antigen re-stimulation with viruses or viral vectors to provide viral antigens for presentation on APCs.

Methods: To simplify this complex process, we developed a method to generate multiple VSTs by direct stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) with overlapping peptide libraries in serum-free medium. Read More

Am J Transplant 2019 Jan 12;19(1):306-307. Epub 2018 Sep 12.

Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Division, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.

Mod Rheumatol 2018 Sep 5:1-5. Epub 2018 Sep 5.

b Department of Pediatrics , Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine , Nagoya , Japan.

Objectives: Kawasaki disease (KD) is one of the most common childhood vasculitides. Some serological studies have suggested an etiological relationship between KD and human herpesvirus (HHV)-6 or HHV-7. However, primary or reactivated HHV-6 and -7 has not been fully investigated in patients with KD. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2018 Aug 4;2018. Epub 2018 Aug 4.

Department of Neurology, Utano National Hospital, National Hospital Organization, Kyoto, Japan.

Although various causes are reported for sensory ganglionopathy, drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome (DIHS) has not been considered a possibility. We describe a 70-year-old woman, previously administered mexiletine hydrochloride for 4 weeks, who presented with systemic oedematous erythema and subacute progressive gait disturbance. Evaluation revealed lymphadenopathy with atypical lymphocytosis and eosinophilia, and human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) reactivation. Read More

Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 2018 Dec 29;24(12):2549-2557. Epub 2018 Jul 29.

Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata, Verona, Italy.

Human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) infection is increasingly recognized among allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) recipients, with 30% at risk of reactivation in the haploidentical setting. It has been associated with encephalitis, acute graft-versus-host disease, and graft failure. Here we report 2 cohorts of pediatric haploidentical manipulated HSCT in which, despite many differences, HHV-6 reactivation and disease occurred with very high incidence compared with data reported in the literature and represented the main early post-transplant infectious complication compared with other viral, bacterial, or fungal infections. Read More

Viruses 2018 07 29;10(8). Epub 2018 Jul 29.

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

Human herpesvirus 6A (HHV-6A) replicates in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and various T-cell lines in vitro. Intriguingly, the virus can also establish latency in these cells, but it remains unknown what influences the decision between lytic replication and the latency of the virus. Incoming virus genomes are confronted with the nuclear domain 10 (ND10) complex as part of an intrinsic antiviral response. Read More

Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 2018 Nov 23;24(11):e5-e6. Epub 2018 Jul 23.

Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Trends Neurosci 2018 09 19;41(9):570-573. Epub 2018 Jul 19.

Division of Infection and Pathway Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, UK. Electronic address:

Two papers in Neuron provide compelling new indications of a link between herpesviruses and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Readhead et al. report an increased abundance of human herpesviruses 6A and 7 (HHV-6A/7) in AD brain, whereas Eimer et al. Read More

Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 2018 Nov 19;24(11):2316-2323. Epub 2018 Jul 19.

Pediatric Hemato-Oncology, La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain.

The CD45RA T cell depletion (TCD) method has been used to deplete naive T cells, preventing graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) but preserving memory cells, providing immediate functional T cells with anti-infection, antileukemia, and antirejection effects. We describe a series of 25 consecutive high-risk patients with leukemia who received haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (haplo-HSCT) with CD45RA TCD. Each patient received 2 cell products: 1 created by CD34 positive selection and the other through CD45RA depletion from the CD34 negative fraction by a CliniMACS device. Read More

Int J Hematol 2018 Nov 16;108(5):535-542. Epub 2018 Jul 16.

Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, Oita, Japan.

In this prospective observational study, we compared the human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) DNA load in serially collected paired plasma and whole blood (WB) samples from allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) recipients. A total of 721 paired samples were collected from 68 recipients. The positive rate for HHV-6 DNA was 9. Read More

Acta Neurol Belg 2018 Sep 13;118(3):361-377. Epub 2018 Jul 13.

Deputy of Research and Technology, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) causes demyelination of white matter of central nervous system and neuro-degeneration due to inflammation. Different types of MS, as well as disease progression, come with different pathology and pathophysiology. The objective of this study was to evaluate the possible association between different micro-organisms and the relapse or progression of MS. Read More

Neuron 2018 Jul;99(1):56-63.e3

Genetics and Aging Research Unit, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA. Electronic address:

Amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) fibrilization and deposition as β-amyloid are hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. We recently reported Aβ is an innate immune protein that protects against fungal and bacterial infections. Fibrilization pathways mediate Aβ antimicrobial activities. Read More

Eur J Neurol 2018 Dec 3;25(12):1446-1453. Epub 2018 Aug 3.

Grupo Investigación EM, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Instituto Investigación Sanitaria San Carlos (IdISSC), Madrid.

Background And Purpose: Although the causes of multiple sclerosis (MS) remain partially unknown, environmental and genetic factors are thought to play a role in its aetiopathogenesis. Hypovitaminosis D, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) infections have been described as possible MS triggers. Our aim was to analyse the possible link between 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and viruses in patients with MS. Read More

Front Immunol 2018 25;9:1454. Epub 2018 Jun 25.

Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States.

Human herpesvirus (HHV) 6 is thought to remain clinically latent in most individuals after primary infection and to reactivate to cause disease in persons with severe immunosuppression. In allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients, reactivation of HHV-6 species B is a considerable cause of morbidity and mortality. HHV-6B reactivation is the most frequent cause of infectious meningoencephalitis in this setting and has been associated with a variety of other complications such as graft rejection and acute graft versus host disease. Read More

Am J Transplant 2019 Jan 1;19(1):304-305. Epub 2018 Aug 1.

CIMI-Paris UMRS CR7, Inserm U1135, Equipe 1 Infections Virales Persistantes, Faculté de médecine, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France.

Am J Hematol 2018 Sep 30;93(9):E249-E250. Epub 2018 Jul 30.

Section of Microbiology and Medical Genetics, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.

Mol Neurobiol 2018 Jul 5. Epub 2018 Jul 5.

Center for Neuroscience, Children's National Medical Center, George Washington University, 111 Michigan Ave NW, Washington, DC, 20010, USA.

Experimental and clinical findings suggest a crucial role for inflammation in the onset of pediatric seizures; this mechanism is not targeted by conventional antiepileptic drugs and may contribute to refractory epilepsy. Several triggers, including infection with neurotropic viruses such as human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6), other herpesviruses, and picornaviruses, appear to induce activation of the innate and adaptive immune systems, which results in several neuroinflammatory responses, leading to enhanced neuronal excitability, and ultimately contributing to epileptogenesis. This review discusses the proposed mechanisms by which infection with herpesviruses, and particularly with HHV-6, and ensuing inflammation may lead to seizure generation, and later development of epilepsy. Read More