title: Human herpesvirus 6: diagnosis of active infection.
abstract: HHV-6 is an opportunistic viral pathogen that has been demonstrated as the cause of often life-threatening illness in pediatric patients and transplant recipients. A substantial body of scientific evidence links HHV-6 to the etiology of such chronic diseases as multiple sclerosis. For these reasons, it is important that patients in these groups be screened for possible infection with HHV-6. Serological studies for IgG and/or IgM can be misleading, as are PCR analyses, which cannot distinguish between latent and actively replicating virus. Currently, the only reliable method for diagnosing an active infection with HHV-6 is viral isolation.
authors.affiliation: Wisconsin Viral Research Group, Ltd., 10437 Innovation Dr., Ste. 319, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA. info@hhv6.com
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Carrigan
authors.forename: K K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Knox
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012698:Serologic Tests; D014773:Virology / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral