Four cases of human herpesvirus 6 variant B infection after pediatric liver transplantation.
BACKGROUND
Little is known about human herpesvirus (HHV)-6 infection after liver transplantation. We present our experiences with four cases of HHV-6 infection after liver transplantation from living related donors.


METHODS
Peripheral blood was collected from four donor and recipient pairs at the time of transplantation and biweekly from the recipients after transplantation. We attempted to isolate HHV-6 and measure antibody titers to HHV-6 and HHV-7.


RESULTS
HHV-6 was isolated from four recipients approximately 2 weeks after transplantation. A significant rise in HHV-6 antibody titers was observed in four recipients at some point in their course, whereas HHV-7 antibody titers were increased in one recipient. Four isolates were variant B. When HHV-6 was isolated, all recipients had an unexplained fever.


CONCLUSIONS
HHV-6 variant B infection after pediatric liver transplantation was confirmed. HHV-6 infection occurred approximately 2 weeks after transplantation. Moreover, there appears to be an association between HHV-6 infection and unexplained fever.
Yoshikawa
T
T
Department of Pediatrics, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan.
Ihira
M
M
Furukawa
H
H
Suga
S
S
Asonuma
K
K
Tanaka
K
K
Asano
Y
Y
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000209:etiology*; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D016199:Herpesvirus 7, Human / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications
D000914:Antibodies, Viral