Persistent long-term human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) infection in a patient with langerhans cell histiocytosis.
Langerhans cell histiocytosis (eosinophilic granuloma) was first diagnosed in the adolescence of a male patient presented. Several years later persisting human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) infection was recognized. The HHV-6 infection could be verified retrospectively in his historical histological samples; the continuous presence of HHV-6 could be established through 17 years of disease course. The patient was operated several times during this period for painful relapses, and developed diabetes insipidus. At variable time points during the clinical course, Varicella zoster (VZV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) infections were temporarily detected from blood samples and biopsy specimens. HHV-6 was the only virus continuously identified throughout the entire follow-up period. Antiviral therapy effectively cleared EBV and HHV-8, but HHV-6 remained detectable throughout the disease course. Since DNA sequences of HHV-6 could be detected in the pathologic histiocytes of eosinophilic granuloma, and from other samples taken later on, it is suggested that long-term HHV-6 infection may be associated with development or progression of Langerhans cell histiocytosis.
Csire
Márta
M
Division of Virology, National Center for Epidemiology, Budapest, H-1097, Hungary. mcsire@freemail.hu
Mikala
Gábor
G
Jákó
János
J
Masszi
Tamás
T
Jánosi
Judit
J
Dolgos
János
J
Füle
Tibor
T
Tordai
Attila
A
Berencsi
György
G
Vályi-Nagy
István
I
D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018450:Disease Progression; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006646:Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007801:Langerhans Cells / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D019349:Roseolovirus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology
D000998:Antiviral Agents