Human herpesvirus 7: another causal agent for roseola (exanthem subitum).
Human herpesvirus 7 (HHV-7) was isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of two infants with typical exanthem subitum. The HindIII-, BamHI-, and EcoRI-digested DNA patterns of the isolated viruses were very similar to that of the prototype HHV-7 (RK strain), but different from that of human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6). During the convalescent period of the first patient, the titer of antibody to HHV-7 rose from < 1:10 to 1:320 by an immunofluorescence antibody test, whereas the titer of antibody to HHV-6 remained < 1:10. In the second patient, who had two independent episodes of exanthem subitum during 2 months, both HHV-6 and HHV-7 were sequentially isolated; seroconversion to HHV-6 occurred during the first episode and to HHV-7 during the second episode. In addition, sera from another 15 children who had episodes of exanthem subitum were serologically tested for antibodies to HHV-6 and HHV-7 by immunofluorescence antibody test. Five of seven patients had seroconversion to HHV-7 just after having typical signs and symptoms of exanthem subitum. These results suggest that HHV-7 is one of the causative agents of exanthem subitum.
Department of Pediatrics, Osaka University Medical School, Japan.
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Tanaka
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Kondo
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Torigoe
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Okada
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Mukai
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Yamanishi
D002675:Child, Preschool; D005077:Exanthema Subitum / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016199:Herpesvirus 7, Human / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012703:Serotyping