Detection of herpesvirus type 6 by polymerase chain reaction in blood donors: random tests and prospective longitudinal studies.
In order to evaluate the prevalence of HHV-6 in blood donors, we examined 112 persons by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and ELISA. HHV-6 antibodies could be detected in 107/111 (96.4%) of the donors. The median ELISA antibody level was 0.451 (range 0.056-0.914). 14 individuals (12.5%) were PCR positive in either oral lavage fluid, urine or buffy coat. Six persons (5.4%) were PCR positive in buffy coat samples. The prospective longitudinal analysis of 11 donors for periods between 7 and 13 weeks revealed that 4/6 persons who were initially PCR negative had positive tests in 9/63 weeks studied. Two persons were consistently PCR positive over the whole observation period of 12 and 13 weeks. HHV-6 variants could be determined in 14 persons as variant A in nine and variant B in five cases. These observations emphasize the high prevalence of HHV-6 and suggest that some blood donors carry detectable concentrations of the virus and therefore may be a source for transmission of HHV-6. The finding of positive PCR in antibody negative individuals suggests that antibody determination may not be sufficient to identify potentially infectious persons.
Wilborn
F
F
Universitätsklinikum Rudolf Virchow, Abteilung für Innere Medizin mit Schwerpunkt Hämatologie und Onkologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany.
Schmidt
C A
CA
Zimmermann
R
R
Brinkmann
V
V
Neipel
F
F
Siegert
W
W
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D001483:Base Sequence; D001782:Blood Donors; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011897:Random Allocation
D000914:Antibodies, Viral