title: Quantitative HHV-6B antigenemia test for the monitoring of transplant patients.
abstract: Human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) infection, mostly caused by variant B, is common after transplantation. Here, we report a new modified method using an HHV-6B glycoprotein IgG antibody, OHV-3, and attempt to quantify the HHV-6 antigenemia after liver transplantation. Twenty-four liver transplant recipients were frequently monitored by the HHV-6 antigenemia test, which detects the HHV-6B virion protein in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). HHV-6B antigens were now retrospectively demonstrated using a glycoprotein OHV-3 IgG antibody in the immunoperoxidase staining from the same specimens and quantified as positive cells/10,000 PBMC. The results were confirmed and quantified by DNA hybridization in situ. Altogether, 206 blood specimens were analyzed. During the first six months, HHV-6 antigenemia was detected in 17/24 (71%) recipients by using the HHV-6B virion antibody. In total, 37% (77/206) of specimens were positive with the virion antibody and 39% (78/201) by the OHV-3 antibody. The peak number of OHV-3-positive cells in the PBMC varied from 5 to 750/10,000 (mean 140/10,000). The OHV-3 antibody was useful to quantify the HHV-6B antigenemia. The findings of the HHV-6B quantitative antigenemia using the OHV-3 antibody correlated well with the previous qualitative HHV-6 antigenemia assay, and can be used as an alternative quantitative method in the monitoring of HHV-6 in transplant patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, HUSLAB, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, FIN-00290 Helsinki, Finland. raisa.loginov@hus.fi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Loginov
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Karlsson
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Höckerstedt
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ablashi
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lautenschlager
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000821:virology; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance; D019562:Viral Load; D014773:Virology / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents
references.citation: Herpes. 2006 May;13(1):20-4
references.pmid: 16732999
references.citation: J Clin Virol. 2006 Dec;37 Suppl 1:S76-81
references.pmid: 17276374
references.citation: J Clin Virol. 2006 Dec;37 Suppl 1:S87-91
references.pmid: 17276376
references.citation: Clin Microbiol Rev. 2005 Jan;18(1):217-45
references.pmid: 15653828
references.citation: World J Gastroenterol. 2009 Jun 7;15(21):2561-9
references.pmid: 19496184
references.citation: J Clin Microbiol. 2006 Apr;44(4):1571-4
references.pmid: 16597897
references.citation: Transplant Proc. 2005 Mar;37(2):1230-2
references.pmid: 15848678
references.citation: Br J Haematol. 2004 Sep;126(5):690-6
references.pmid: 15327521
references.citation: Transplantation. 2000 Jun 27;69(12):2561-6
references.pmid: 10910277
references.citation: Virology. 1990 Jun;176(2):625-8
references.pmid: 2161152