Perinatally cotransmitted human herpesvirus 6 is activated in children born with human immunodeficiency virus infection.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the mother-to-child transmission profile of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) as well as human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) and to examine active replication of HHV-6 in the HIV-infected mothers and their newborns.


METHODS
This polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based detection was done using DNA from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and milk cells from the mothers, PBMC from the newborns, and DNA derived from plasma and cell-free milk fluid from mothers and plasma of the newborns. None of the mothers received antiretroviral treatment.


RESULTS
HIV was transmitted to 50% newborns and, of 36 total mothers, 8 had actively replicating HHV-6 detectable in their plasma and 2 also had it in the lactosera. Among the neonates. HHV-6 was found in the PBMC DNA of seven and in the plasma fractions of five, the latter five newborns were all HIV-infected at birth.


CONCLUSIONS
Perinatally cotransmitted HHV-6 was always activated in the neonates who were born with HIV infection. Also, HHV-6 can be detected in the milk cells and the activated virus may be present in the lactosera of some of these HlV-infected mothers.
Joshi
P J
PJ
Virology Laboratory, Cancer Research Institute, Tata Memorial Centre, Parel, Mumbai, India.
Merchant
R H
RH
Pokharankar
S L
SL
Damania
K S
KS
Gilada
I S
IS
Mukhopadhyaya
R
R
D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000821:virology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000821:virology; D014775:Virus Activation; D014779:Virus Replication
D004279:DNA, Viral