title: Multiplex polymerase chain reaction for six herpesviruses after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Herpesviruses cause life-threatening diseases after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). It is necessary that viral diseases are identified early and safely diagnosed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for qualitative detection of the six herpesviruses simultaneously: herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2, varicella-zoster virus, cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human herpesvirus 6B.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multiplex PCR was applied to patients with various clinical manifestations including central nervous system, cutaneous and mucosal complications after allogeneic HSCT, and the data were retrospectively analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients positive for cytomegalovirus in peripheral blood by multiplex PCR might need pre-emptive treatment, but a positive result for EBV had no specific correlation with EBV-associated post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease, and positive result for human herpesvirus 6B failed to show any clinical significance. The multiplex PCR was safe and helpful to diagnose viral diseases of local regions, for example, the central nervous system, skin and mucosa.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It may be worthwhile to survey the six herpesviruses with multiplex PCR after HSCT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology/Oncology, Osaka Medical Center and Research Institute for Maternal and Child Health, Osaka, Japan. asawada@mch.pref.osaka.jp
authors.forename: Akihisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sawada
authors.forename: Maho
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koyama-Sato
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yasui
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishihara
authors.forename: Yasufumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takeshita
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okamura
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishikawa
authors.forename: Masami
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Keisei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kawa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000235:genetics*; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D060885:Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral