title: Human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) (short review).
abstract: Human Herpesvirus-6 is the etiological agent of Roseola infantum and approximately 12% of heterophile antibody negative infectious mononucleosis. HHV-6 is T-lymphotropic, and readily infects and lyses CD4+ cells. The prevalence rate of HHV-6 in the general population is about 80% (as measured by IFA) with an IgG antibody titer of 1:80. A lower prevalence, however, is observed in some countries. HHV-6 is reactivated in various malignant and non-malignant diseases as well as in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and transplant patients. Furthermore, elevated antibody titers were also observed in lymphoproliferative disorders, auto-immune diseases and HIV-1 positive AIDS patients. There appears to be some strain variability in HHV-6 isolates. The GS isolates of HHV-6 (prototype) was resistant to Acyclovir, Gancyclovir, but its replication was inhibited by Phosphonoacetic acid and Phosphoformic acid. HHV-7 isolated from healthy individuals showed, by restriction analysis, that 6 out of 11 probes derived from two strains of HHV-6, cross-hybridized with DNA fragments, derived from HHV-7.
authors.affiliation: National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892.
authors.forename: D V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Ablashi
authors.forename: S Z
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Salahuddin
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Josephs
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Balachandran
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Krueger
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Gallo
mesh_terms: D005814:Genes, Viral; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans