Viremia and neutralizing antibody response in infants with exanthem subitum.
Mononuclear cell-associated viremia caused by human herpesvirus type 6 was detected in 39 (66%) of 59 blood samples from 38 children with exanthem subitum between day 0 and day 7 of the disease. The rate of virus isolation from mononuclear cells was 100% (26/26) on days 0 to 2 (just before appearance of skin rash), 82% (9/11) on day 3, 20% (2/10) on day 4, 7% (2/12) on days 5 to 7, and 0% (0/37) on day 8 and thereafter. The cell-free virus was detected in blood in 10 (21%) of 47 blood samples during the same period. The antibody activity to the virus, evaluated by a newly developed neutralization assay, was first detected on day 3 of the disease with a positive rate of 18% (2/11). It became 60% (6/10) on day 4, 75% (9/12) on days 5 to 7, and 100% on day 8 and thereafter. Thus the disappearance of the virus from blood was associated with the induction of specific immunity to the virus.
Asano
Y
Y
Department of Pediatrics, Fujita Gakuen Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Japan.
Yoshikawa
T
T
Suga
S
S
Yazaki
T
T
Hata
T
T
Nagai
T
T
Kajita
Y
Y
Ozaki
T
T
Yoshida
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005077:Exanthema Subitum / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009500:Neutralization Tests
D000914:Antibodies, Viral