Pre- and perinatal infections due to human herpesvirus-6 and Epstein-Barr-virus with lethal outcome or severe residual encephalopathy.
The Human Herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) infection causes exanthem subitum (in typical cases) and a wide range of other symptoms. So far no prenatal or perinatal infections have been reported. For HHV-6 the prenatal infection should be extremely rare, because more than 95% of adults are immune in Germany. Two own cases reported here document that pre- and perinatal HHV-6 infection does occur and can provoke dramatic clinical symptoms of illness with death or cerebral defects like other prenatal herpesvirus infections (HSV, VZV, CMV etc.).
Wiersbitzky
S
S
Department of Pediatrics, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-University, Greifswald, Germany.
Beyersdorf
E
E
Burtzlaff
C
C
Wiersbitzky
H
H
Crusius
S
S
Weinke
I
I
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D005077:Exanthema Subitum / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007112:Immunity, Maternally-Acquired / Q000276:immunology; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D014766:Viremia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial