title: An immunoblot assay for detection of immunoglobulin M antibody to human herpesvirus 6.
abstract: We identified the human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6)-dominant immunoglobulin M (IgM)-reactive virion protein as being the same 101-kDa protein (101K) previously identified as the major IgG immunoreactive protein and a specific serologic marker of HHV-6 infection. An immunoblot assay (IB) to detect HHV-6-specific IgM antibodies against the 101K protein in human serum samples was developed. The assay was validated by using acute- and convalescent-phase serum collected from children under 2 years of age in which we previously detected IgG seroconversion to the HHV-6 101K protein. Of 32 serum pairs which previously demonstrated IgG seroconversion to the 101K protein, 29 had IgM reactivity to the same protein in the acute-phase sample and the remaining 3 had reactivity in the convalescent-phase sample. We also detected HHV-6 IgM activity in sera collected from individuals > or =4 years of age who were also IgM seropositive to measles or rubella. Results of cross-adsorption studies using measles virus-, rubella virus-, and HHV-6-infected cells as the adsorbing antigen indicated no cross-reactivity between measles or rubella IgM and HHV-6 IgM in human serum samples. The IgM IB detected HHV-6-specific IgM antibody to the 101K protein in 78% (63 of 81) of tested acute-phase serum collected from young children with an undifferentiated rash illness by using a single serum dilution.
authors.affiliation: State of Washington Public Health Laboratory, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: LaCroix
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Thouless
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Black
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003429:Cross Reactions; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting / Q000379:methods; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D007223:Infant; D008459:Measles virus / Q000276:immunology; D012412:Rubella virus / Q000276:immunology; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: C082253:101K protein, Human herpesvirus 6; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D014764:Viral Proteins