title: HHV-6 infection in Italy: characterization of an endemic isolate and seroepidemiologic analysis.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale, Università La Sapienza, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ragona
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Calogero
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cirone
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cuomo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gonnella
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zompetta
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gentile
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Martino
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Menichella
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Frati
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Faggioni