Journal Article

Characteristics and Acquisition of Human Herpesvirus (HHV)–7 Infections in Relation to Infection with HHV-6

Carnahan, Jennifer A., Lofthus, Geraldine K., Dewhurst, Stephen, Hall, Caroline Breese, Schnabel, Kenneth C., Caserta, Mary T., McDermott, Michael P., Gilbert, Lynne M.

2006

Overview

Although both human herpesvirus (HHV) 6 and HHV-7 infections are ubiquitous during childhood, few acute HHV-7 infections are identified. It is unknown whether HHV-7 viremia indicates primary infection, as with HHV-6, or reactivation, and if these differ clinically. We studied, in otherwise healthy children ⩽10 years old, HHV-7 and HHV-6 infections and their interaction by serologic assessment, viral isolation, and polymerase chain reaction. In children ⩽24 months of age, HHV-7 infections occurred less often than HHV-6 infections (P⩽.002). Of 2806 samples from 2365 children ⩽10 years old, 30 (1%) showed evidence of HHV-7 viremia; 23 (77%) of these were primary and 7 (23%) were reactivated HHV-7 infections. Four (13%) showed concurrent HHV-6 viremia, 2 associated with primary HHV-7 infections. The clinical manifestations of primary and reactivated HHV-7 infections were similar, except that seizures occurred more frequently in reactivated infections. These findings, previously unrecognized in otherwise healthy children, suggest that HHV-7 viremia could represent primary or reactivated infection and may be affected by the interaction between HHV-6 and HHV-7

• Publisher: The University of Chicago Press,University of Chicago Press,Oxford University Press
• Subject: Age groups / Antibodies / Antibodies, Viral - blood / Biological and medical sciences / Child / Child, Preschool / Children / DNA, Viral - blood / Female / Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology / Herpesviridae / Herpesvirus 6, Human - genetics / Herpesvirus 6, Human - immunology / Herpesvirus 6, Human - pathogenicity / Herpesvirus 7, Human - genetics / Herpesvirus 7, Human - immunology / Herpesvirus 7, Human - pathogenicity / Human herpesvirus / Human herpesvirus 6 / Human herpesvirus 7 / Humans / Infant / Infant, Newborn / Infections / Infectious diseases / Leukocytes, Mononuclear - virology / Male / Medical sciences / Microbiology / Miscellaneous / Polymerase chain reaction / Polymerase Chain Reaction - methods / Roseolovirus Infections - diagnosis / Roseolovirus Infections - epidemiology / Roseolovirus Infections - virology / Seroepidemiologic Studies / Viremia / Viremia - diagnosis / Viremia - epidemiology / Viremia - virology / Virology / Viruses