title: [Complications of acute respiratory tract infection (pneumonia, sinusitis) in young children associated with acute HHV 6 infection].
abstract: The human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) causes exanthema subitum ("e.s."). "E.s." is characterized by fever, exanthem (rash), in many cases gastroenteritis, occasionally cerebral convulsions (but more frequently general cerebral irritability) and enlargement of all lymph nodes; usually there are mild catarrhal respiratory symptoms of the upper airways (ARD). So-called "complications" of an ARD (pneumonia, acute purulent otitis media, acute sinusitis) due to bacterial infections are very unusual as sequelae of a HHV-6 infection. Here we report the case of 2 small children (toddlers) suffering from bronchopneumonia or pneumonia and acute sinusitis maxillaris associated with an acute HHV-6 infection. It seems that HHV-6 (like other respiratory tract viral pathogens) also can lead to secondary bacterial infections of the lower respiratory tract. So far it is not known, why such complications are so rare, although the extreme granulocytopenia accompanying "e.s." suggests a transient disturbance of the antibacterial defence mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universität Greifswald.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wiersbitzky
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wiersbitzky
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bruns
authors.forename: E H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Ballke
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D001996:Bronchopneumonia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005077:Exanthema Subitum / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D015523:Maxillary Sinusitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D011024:Pneumonia, Viral / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral
vernacular_title: Komplikationen einer ARE (Pneumonie, Sinusitis) bei Kleinkindern assoziiert mit akuter HHV-6-Infektion.