title: Human herpesvirus-6 DNA in the saliva of paediatric oncology patients and controls.
abstract: Children with malignancy are immunosuppressed and susceptible to serious infections with herpesviruses. The majority of children on chemotherapy for malignancy are seropositive for human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6), and although HHV-6 has been demonstrated to be a pathogen in severely immunocompromised patients, whether this is the case for paediatric oncology patients is unknown. HHV-6 is secreted in saliva and in this study samples were examined prospectively for HHV-6 DNA in healthy children and those with malignancy. In a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR), a 287 bp outer fragment and 163 inner fragment of HHV-6 DNA were amplified. The resulting amplimer contained a Hind III restriction site present only in "B" type HHV-6 and this was used to identify the type of HHV-6 amplified. In saliva from healthy control children, 74% (28/38) of samples were HHV-6 DNA-positive in either the supernate, pellet or both. In the patients, 58% (45/77) of all samples were HHV-6 DNA-positive. When sequential samples from twelve patients were examined the children appeared to fall into two groups: those who were frequently HHV-6 DNA-positive (60% of samples or more) and those who were rarely HHV-6 DNA-positive (33% of samples or less) (P < 0.0001). The only apparent difference between these two groups was that the less frequently HHV-6-positive group was more often febrile and unwell with neutropaenia. Hind III digestion demonstrated all the positive samples to be "B" type HHV-6. Possible explanations for this difference in HHV-6 secretion between the patient groups are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Royal Hospital for Sick Children, City Hospital, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Lyall
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Cubie
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology*; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007938:Leukemia / Q000276:immunology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012463:Saliva / Q000821:virology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral