title: [The mechanism, diagnosis and treatment of HHV-6B encephalitis].
abstract: Human herpesvirus 6B (HHV-6B) is causative agent for exanthem subitum, which is common febrile illness in infant. This disease is generally benign and self-limited disease, however rarely causes several central nervous system complications. As various types of HHV-6B encephalitis has been demonstrated, pathophysiology of the disease would be complicate. Thus, different therapeutic strategies should be established for each type of HHV-6B encephalitis at the time of primary viral infection. Meanwhile, this virus can reactivate in transplant recipients and cause post-trasplant limbic encephalitis. It has been demonstrated that neuroimaging analysis particularly MRI image is useful for diagnosis of post-transplant HHV-6B encephalitis. As high copies of viral DNA are detected in patient's CSF, direct invasion of HHV-6B might play important role in causing the disease. Ganciclovir or foscarnet could be effective against HHV-6B based on in vitro analysis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Fujita Health University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Tetsushi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshikawa
mesh_terms: D020803:Encephalitis, Herpes Simplex / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human; D006801:Humans