title: Human herpesvirus 6: report of emerging pathogen in five patients with HIV/AIDS and review of the literature.
abstract: The reactivation of human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) in patients with AIDS can result in an acute and severe diffuse meningoencephalitis. We describe the epidemiological, clinical and outcome findings of five patients with diagnosis of HIV/AIDS and central nervous system involvement (CNS) due to HHV-6. Fever was present in all the patients. Meningeal compromise, seizures and encephalitis were present in some of the patients. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens was positive for HHV-6 in all the patients. HHV-6 should be included among opportunistic and emerging pathogens that involve the CNS in patients with AIDS.
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Enfermidades Infecciosas Francisco Javier Muñiz, Buenos Aires, Argentina. marcelocorti@fibertel.com.ar
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Corti
authors.forename: Maria Florencia
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Villafañe
authors.forename: Norberto
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Trione
authors.forename: Lilia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mamanna
authors.forename: Belén
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bouzas
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000821:virology*; D000328:Adult; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000821:virology*; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008590:Meningoencephalitis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000821:virology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction