HHV-6 infection in Italy: characterization of an endemic isolate and seroepidemiologic analysis.
A biologic, immunologic and molecular characterization of an HHV-6 isolate (BA92) rescued by the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of a child affected by Exanthem subitum is reported. The comparison with the known HHV-6 prototype strains showed that BA92 is indistinguishable from the Z29 isolate, and can be included in the variant B group of HHV-6. A seroepidemiologic analysis of the antibody response to BA92 of normal individuals as well as patients affected by diseases potentially associated to HHV-6 infection has shown an overall seroprevalence of 81%, and that no variations in seroprevalence or in antibody geometric mean titer are observed assaying the sera also against G.S., U1102, or Z29 infected cells, respectively. These findings indicate: (1) HHV-6 infection is widely diffuse in Italy; (2) it is not possible to discriminate between the viral variants by the currently available IF assays, and (3) no conclusions can be drawn on the potential association of HHV-6 with any of the diseases examined.
Ragona
G
G
Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale, Università La Sapienza, Rome, Italy.
Calogero
A
A
Cirone
M
M
Cuomo
L
L
Gonnella
R
R
Zompetta
C
C
Gentile
G
G
Martino
P
P
Menichella
D
D
Frati
L
L
Faggioni
A
A