HHV-6 infection in a pediatric kidney transplant patient.
Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) infection can induce unusual complications in transplant patients, such as interstitial pneumonitis, encephalitis and marrow aplasia. We describe the clinical course of HHV-6 infection in a girl with renal transplantation. She presented with diarrhea and poor feeding on day 36 post-transplantation (Tx), after a 5-day steroid pulse for clinical signs of acute rejection. A week later she developed fever and had elevated plasma creatinine and lactic dehydrogenase levels, but a physical examination did not reveal any anomalies with respect to suggest rash, pneumonitis, encephalitis or lymphadenopathy. Two weeks later, the patient developed anemia and leucopenia. HHV-6 was the only pathogen detected by the PCR assay of the serum and marrow aspiration. The patient had a successful recovery without specific treatment. This case report highlights the wide spectrum of complications resulting from HHV-6 infection in immunosuppressed patients.
Koukourgianni
Foteini
F
Centre de référence des maladies rénales rares, Hôpital Femme Mère Enfant & Université Lyon 1, Bron cedex, France.
Pichault
Valérie
V
Liutkus
Aurélia
A
Gillet
Yves
Y
Ranchin
Bruno
B
Mestrallet
Guillaume
G
Cochat
Pierre
P
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D019349:Roseolovirus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology*; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral