title: Prevalence of human herpesvirus 6 in Thai people and its correlation with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection.
abstract: Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) is a human herpesvirus isolated from patients with various lymphoproliferative disorders and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The prevalence of HHV-6 infection and its correlation as a cofactor in pathogenicity of HIV infection was investigated in serum samples from 365 healthy volunteers at various age groups, 50 persons at risk for HIV-1 infection, and 90 HIV-1 seropositive individuals. Sera were screened and titrated for antibodies against HHV-6 by a standard indirect immunofluorescence assay on an acetone fixed HHV-6 infected HSB2 cells. The data show high prevalence of HHV-6 in Thailand (71.7%) and the infection is acquired early in life. Prevalence of anti-HHV-6 IgG antibodies was not strikingly different among people at risk for HIV infection, asymptomatic HIV-1 infected cases, and aged-matched controls with low risk for HIV-1 infection. The AIDS cases showed high titers of anti-HHV-6 IgG antibody and high rates for presence of anti-HHV-6 IgM antibody (33.3%) which suggests higher prevalence of HHV-6 infection by either reactivation of an earlier HHV-6 infection or a new primary infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sutthent
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Puthavathana
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Louisirirotchanakul
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tunsupasawasdikul
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wasi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Thongcharoen
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D015200:Fluoroimmunoassay; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M