Human herpesvirus-6 and human herpesvirus-7 in the bone marrow from healthy subjects.
BACKGROUND
Human herpesviruses (HHVs) 6 and 7 are recently discovered betaherpesviruses. Although HHV-6 has been associated with disordered hematopoiesis in bone marrow transplant recipients, little information is available on the presence of both viruses in the bone marrow from healthy subjects.


METHODS
We detected HHV-6 and HHV-7 DNA by means of polymerase chain reaction in bone marrow and peripheral blood samples from 18 healthy subjects who underwent total hip arthroplasty.


RESULTS
Genomic HHV-6 and HHV-7 DNA were detected in 11% and 67% of the blood samples, respectively, and in 28% and 50% of the bone marrow samples, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Both viruses may be present in the bone marrow without hematopoiesis disorder and can be transmitted through bone marrow infusion. Therefore, the causative role of these two viruses in some bone marrow diseases cannot be inferred simply from the detection of their genome in bone marrow by means of polymerase chain reaction.
Gautheret-Dejean
A
A
Laboratoire de Virologie GH Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France.
Dejean
O
O
Vastel
L
L
Kerboull
M
M
Aubin
J T
JT
Franti
M
M
Agut
H
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000737:chemistry / Q000821:virology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D016679:Genome, Viral; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016199:Herpesvirus 7, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012016:Reference Values
D004279:DNA, Viral