title: Human herpesvirus 6 chromosomal integration in immunocompetent patients results in high levels of viral DNA in blood, sera, and hair follicles.
abstract: Six immunocompetent patients with human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) chromosomal integration had HHV-6 and beta-globin DNA quantified in various samples by PCR. The mean HHV-6 DNA concentration (log(10) copies/milliliter) in blood was 7.0 (>/=1 HHV-6 DNA copies/leukocyte), and in serum it was 5.3 (>/=1 HHV-6 DNA copies/lysed cell). The mean HHV-6 DNA load (log(10) copies)/hair follicle was 4.2 (>/=1 copies/hair follicle cell), demonstrating that viral integration is not confined to blood cells. The characteristically high HHV-6 DNA levels in chromosomal integration may confound laboratory diagnosis of HHV-6 infection and should be given due consideration.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Virology, Division of Infection and Immunity, Royal Free and University College Medical School (UCL campus), Windeyer Institute of Medical Sciences, 46 Cleveland St., London W1T 4JF, United Kingdom. k.n.ward@ucl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Katherine N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: Hoe Nam
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Leong
authors.forename: Elisabeth P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Nacheva
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.forename: Claire E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Atkinson
authors.forename: Nicholas W S
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: Paul D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Griffiths
authors.forename: Duncan A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Clark
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D018859:Hair Follicle / Q000821:virology*; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007121:Immunocompetence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019562:Viral Load; D016662:Virus Integration
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral