Detection of HHV-6B in post-mortem central nervous system tissue of a post-bone marrow transplant recipient: a multi-virus array analysis.
BACKGROUND
HHV-6 has been implicated in a number of neurological disorders. Recent evidence has suggested high incidence of HHV-6 infection in patients (46%) undergoing allogeneic bone marrow transplant (BMT).


OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether HHV-6 plays a role in the development of fatal encephalopathy in an allogeneic post-BMT patient using an unbiased approach.


RESULTS
Detection of HHV-6 viral DNA sequence and RNA expression were demonstrated in fresh frozen post-mortem autopsy material derived from the insular cortex using a multi-virus array platform. In addition, PCR analysis by real-time quantitative TaqMan demonstrated high viral burden in multiple brain regions tested. Sequencing analysis of PCR product confirmed the virus to be HHV-6 variant B.


CONCLUSIONS
Active infection as demonstrated by expression of viral RNA and high viral load in the CNS suggest a possible pathogenic role of HHV-6 in development neurologic complications post-BMT.
Yao
Karen
K
Viral Immunology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
Akyani
Nahid
N
Donati
Donatella
D
Sengamalay
Naomi
N
Fotheringham
Julie
J
Ghedin
Elodie
E
Bishop
Michael
M
Barrett
John
J
Kashanchi
Fatah
F
Jacobson
Steven
S
D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D001921:Brain / Q000821:virology*; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D019349:Roseolovirus Infections / Q000821:virology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
D004279:DNA, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral