Human herpesvirus 6 infection in renal transplantation.
The relationship between renal transplantation and human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) infection was studied. All 21 kidney donors examined had antibody to HHV-6 at the time of transplantation. The 21 kidney recipients also had detectable antibody to HHV-6 before transplantation--and, of these, 8 patients showed a significant increase of serum antibody titer against HHV-6 after transplantation. All these 8 recipients suffered severe kidney rejection. Furthermore, virus isolation from peripheral blood lymphocytes of 2 recipients who suffered rejection was attempted, and in both cases HHV-6 was isolated. Biopsy specimens of rejected kidneys of 9 other patients were examined for the presence of HHV-6 antigens, and in 5 of these specimens antigens were detected in the tubular epithelium, as well as in infiltrating histiocytes and lymphocytes. These results suggest that HHV-6 can infect renal tissues and that the infection may be correlated with rejection or with immunosuppressive therapy.
Okuno
T
T
Department of Virology, Osaka University, Japan.
Higashi
K
K
Shiraki
K
K
Yamanishi
K
K
Takahashi
M
M
Kokado
Y
Y
Ishibashi
M
M
Takahara
S
S
Sonoda
T
T
Tanaka
K
K
D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000150:complications*; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006648:Histocompatibility; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy / Q000379:methods; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D014019:Tissue Donors
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral