title: Detection of human herpesvirus-7 DNA in bronchoalveolar lavage.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Human herpesvirus-7 (HHV-7) is a highly seroprevalent virus that, following primary infection, establishes latency or persistence in some tissues, including lung. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of HHV-7 in the lower respiratory tract of hospitalized adult patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The prevalence of HHV-7 DNA was determined by quantitative real-time PCR in 212 bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples obtained from 153 patients. The molecular epidemiology and clinical role of HHV-7 were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HHV-7 DNA was positive in 44 of 212 specimens (20.7%), obtained from 40 of 153 patients (26.1%), in particular 22/68 (32.35%) and 18/86 (20.9%) in transplant and non-transplant patients, respectively (1 patient evaluated both before and after transplantation). No significant difference according to transplant condition or discharge diagnosis was found. Viral load was >100,000 genome equivalents/ml BAL in 6/22 (27.3%) transplant recipients and 4/18 (22.2%) non-transplant patients (p = n.s.).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The evaluation of HHV-7 DNA in BAL may be useful to investigate its potential role in lower respiratory tract infection, alone or in association with other viral and/or non-viral pathogens and to distinguish latency from reactivation.
authors: Virology Unit, University Hospital San Giovanni Battista di Torino, Turin, Italy.
authors: Sara
authors: S
authors: Astegiano
authors: Cristina
authors: C
authors: Costa
authors: Maria Elena
authors: ME
authors: Terlizzi
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: Sidoti
authors: Stefano
authors: S
authors: Gambarino
authors: Samantha
authors: S
authors: Mantovani
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Solidoro
authors: Rossana
authors: R
authors: Cavallo
authors: Massimiliano
authors: M
authors: Bergallo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000821:virology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D016199:Herpesvirus 7, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011024:Pneumonia, Viral / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D015995:Prevalence; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D019349:Roseolovirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D019562:Viral Load; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral