A practitioner's guide to human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) and human herpesvirus-7 (HHV-7).
Human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) and HHV-7 are newly recognized ubiquitous human viruses first discovered in patients with AIDS or lymphoproliferative disorders. Much more information is available about the clinical characteristics of infection with HHV-6 than HHV-7. Primary infection with HHV-6 occurs in early childhood and is most commonly manifested as an undifferentiated highly febrile illness, with seizures noted to be the most common complication. A subset of children develop the classic manifestations of roseola infantum or exanthem subitum. Other neurologic diseases in adults such as encephalitis and multiple sclerosis also have been linked to HHV-6; however, the role of HHV-6 in these clinical entities has not been fully elucidated. Although HHV-6 and HIV are both tropic for CD4+ lymphocytes and interact in vitro, there is no evidence at present that HHV-6 plays a role in HIV disease. HHV-7 is similar to HHV-6 in genetic organization and structure. Little is known of the clinical characteristics of infection with HHV-7 or its ability to cause disease in children or reactivation in adults.
Caserta
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MT
Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, New York, USA.
Hall
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CB
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002648:Child; D005077:Exanthema Subitum / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016199:Herpesvirus 7, Human / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors
D000998:Antiviral Agents