Fatal adult case of severe lymphocytopenia associated with reactivation of human herpesvirus 6

Tetsushi Yoshikawa, Masaru Ihira, Yoshizo Asano, Akiko Tomitaka, Kayoko Suzuki, Kayoko Matsunaga, Yasuchika Kato, Sinya Hiramitsu, Tomohito Nagai, Naoko Tanaka, Hiroshi Kimura, Yukihiro Nishiyama

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13 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

It has been suggested that immunosuppression associated with human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) infection is a result of functional impairment or direct destruction of immunological cells. The ability of the virus to infect and destroy lymphocytes may cause progressive immunodeficiency in an infant with primary HHV-6 infection. An adult patient is described who had a fatal cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection due to severe and prolonged lymphocyte depletion associated with HHV-6 reactivation. The HHV-6 antibody titers were increased significantly after reactivation, and the virus was isolated from his peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The quantity of both HHV-6 and CMV DNA was determined by using real-time PCR in plasma samples collected serially. HHV-6 DNAemia persisted for 1 month, which started just 1 week after the onset of lymphocytopenia. In contrast to HHV-6, CMV DNAemia was detected in the terminal phase of the illness. Thus, HHV-6 reactivation may have been the cause of the severe lymphocyte depletion and fatal CMV infection.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)82-85
Number of pages4
JournalJournal of Medical Virology
Volume66
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2002

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Virology
  • Infectious Diseases

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