Human herpesvirus 6 and multiple sclerosis: systemic active infections in patients with early disease.
By means of immunohistochemical staining, cells actively infected with human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) were found in central nervous system tissues from 8 (73%) of 11 patients with definite multiple sclerosis (MS). Interestingly, 17 (90%) of 19 tissue sections showing active demyelination were positive for HHV-6-infected cells compared with only 3 (13%) of 23 tissue sections free of active disease (P<.0001). Central nervous system tissues from 2 of 28 normal persons and patients with other inflammatory demyelinative diseases were positive for HHV-6-infected cells (P<.0001), and the 2 positive cases were diagnosed as having HHV-6 leukoencephalitis. By use of a rapid culture assay, blood samples from 22 (54%) of 41 patients with definite MS were found to contain active HHV-6 infections, compared with 0 of 61 normal controls (P<.0001). No significant difference was found between HHV-6 viremia-positive and HHV-6 viremia-negative MS patients with respect to type of disease (relapsing/remitting or progressive). In contrast, patients with active HHV-6 viremia were significantly younger and had shorter durations of disease than did HHV-6 viremia-negative patients.
Knox
K K
KK
Institute for Viral Pathogenesis, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA. kknox@hhv6.com
Brewer
J H
JH
Henry
J M
JM
Harrington
D J
DJ
Carrigan
D R
DR
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000821:virology; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D016377:Organ Transplantation; D014766:Viremia / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents