Detection of human herpes virus 6 (HHV 6) in the skin of a patient with primary HHV 6 infection and erythroderma.
Human herpes virus 6 (HHV 6) has been implicated as the causative agent of exanthema subitum in young children. Recently, we reported two cases of a severe, infectious, mononucleosis-like syndrome resulting from a primary HHV 6 infection in immunocompetent adults. Both of these patients had the skin condition generally referred to as "erythroderma". A skin-biopsy specimen from one of them, a 43 year old man, was examined. Using immunohistochemical staining and in situ hybridisation, lymphocytes infected with HHV 6 were found in the skin. It is proposed that the erythroderma in immunocompetent adults infected with primary HHV 6 is provoked by infiltration of infected inflammatory cells or infected neoplastic lymphocytes into the dermis.
Sumiyoshi
Y
Y
First Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Fukuoka University, Japan.
Akashi
K
K
Kikuchi
M
M
D000328:Adult; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D003873:Dermatitis, Exfoliative / Q000821:virology*; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000821:virology*; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D012867:Skin / Q000821:virology*
D004279:DNA, Viral