title: Human herpesvirus-6 reactivation in a longitudinal study of two HIV-1 infected patients.
abstract: After primary infection, human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) persists in latent form and can be reactivated in immunocompromised subjects. A longitudinal study of HHV-6 infection was carried out in two HIV-1 seropositive patients to provide in vivo evidence of HHV-6 reactivation. Concomitant with a significant rise of anti-HHV-6 IgG detected by IFA, a transient increase of HHV-6 viral load was shown in PBLs by PCR. During HHV-6 reactivation it was also identified either cell-free HHV-6 by PCR in plasma or IgM antibody titers. HHV-6 reactivation was followed by a temporary decrease in CD4+ count and by a progressive dramatic loss of CD4+ during the following 18 months. HHV-6 strain characterization by PCR demonstrated that first patient (MM) initially showed the B variant, followed by reactivation and persistence of the A variant, while in the second (SG) only the A variant was detected. The evidence of HHV-6 reactivation suggests its involvement in immunologic damage underlying the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedicine, University of Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Iuliano
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Trovato
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lico
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Luppi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Forastieri
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Barsanti
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Pizzigallo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mecocci
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Barozzi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Torelli
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mazzotta
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ceccherini-Nelli
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D015497:HIV-1; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014775:Virus Activation
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M