Human herpesvirus 6 in hematologic diseases in China.
OBJECTIVE
The prevalence and pathogenic role of human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) in various benign and malignant hematologic diseases remain largely unknown. The aim of this study was to search for a possible involvement of HHV-6 in the pathogenesis of hematologic diseases.


METHODS
The presence of HHV-6 DNA sequences was examined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in bone marrow mononuclear cells from 241 patients with benign and malignant hematologic diseases in China. Platelet-associated immunoglobulin (PAIg) of 66 idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) patients was measured by competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The presence of HHV-6 DNA in sera from 31 ITP patients was examined by PCR. Paired serum samples from 19 ITP patients were analyzed for anti-HHV-6 IgG titers using an indirect immunofluorescence assay.


RESULTS
HHV-6 DNA was detected in 41% and 37.5% of ITP and acute leukemia patients respectively, but in only 6.7% of patients with iron deficiency anemia. HHV-6 positivity for ITP patients with excessive PAIgG was significantly higher than in patients with a normal level of PAIgG. HHV-6 DNA was not detected in any of the serum samples from ITP patients. None of the 19 cases of ITP showed a significant increase in anti-HHV-6 antibody titers during the convalescent phase compared with the onset phase.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that HHV-6 infection might be associated with excessive PAIgG in some cases of ITP, and that the virus persists in a latent state. The pathogenic role of HHV-6 in ITP needs to be confirmed by further investigations.
Ma
X T
XT
National Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Tianjin, China.
Song
Y H
YH
Lu
D M
DM
Mu
G F
GF
Li
G
G
Ji
L X
LX
Yang
R C
RC
Wu
K F
KF
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000821:virology; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000276:immunology; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000150:complications; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007938:Leukemia / Q000821:virology; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D016553:Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic / Q000821:virology
D001323:Autoantibodies; D004279:DNA, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G