title: Analysis of human herpes virus 6 infections with a quantitative, standardized, commercial kit in pediatric stem cell transplant recipients after transplantation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to assess the incidence and clinical relevance of active Human Herpes Virus 6 (HHV6) infections in pediatric patients after allogeneic stem cell transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis of samples prospectively collected at Akdeniz University Medical Faculty Hospital, Antalya, Turkey, between May 2006 and July 2007 from 15 pediatric patients with allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).
  
  
  METHODS
  A commercial quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction kit was used to analyze plasma samples collected from 15 pediatric allogeneic HSCT recipients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HHV6 DNA was found positive in 8 (53%) patients. HHV6 DNA levels above 1000 copies/mL were found only in 2 patients and they were also consecutively positive for HHV6 DNA. Age at transplantation, use of ATG, and receiving grafts other than HLA identical siblings increased the risk, with a statistically significant difference, of having HHV6 reactivation with levels exceeding 1000 copies/mL (P values, respectively, P=.03, .001, .025). Active HHV6 infections with HHV6 viremia levels higher than 1000 copies/mL were associated with subsequent delayed platelet engraftment (P=.001), acute graft versus host disease (P=.001), skin rash, and fever of unknown origin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  More than half of pediatric allogeneic HSCT patients develop active HHV6 infection, and especially in patients with high viremic loads, the infection can result in serious clinical situations. A clinically significant cutoff value for viremia seems to be necessary to predict serious clinical complications.
authors.forename: Derya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mutlu
authors.forename: Vedat
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Uygun
authors.forename: Hatice
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yazisiz
authors.forename: Gulsun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tezcan
authors.forename: Volkan
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hazar
authors.affiliation: Dilek Colak, Akdeniz University, Faculty of Medicine,, Medical Microbiology Department, Dumlupinar Blv. Antalya Turkey 07070, T: +902422496911, F: +902422262823, dcolak@akdeniz.edu.tr.
authors.forename: Dilek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Colak
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D019349:Roseolovirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D066027:Transplant Recipients; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic