title: Human herpes viruses are associated with classic fever of unknown origin (FUO) in Beijing patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Few reports have examined the viral aetiology of fever of unknown origin (FUO).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study determined the prevalence of human herpes virus (HHV) DNA in blood of Chinese patients with classic FUO using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and explored the possible role of HHV.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood samples were collected from 186 patients (151 children, 35 adults) with classic FUO and 143 normal individuals in Beijing during the years 2009-2012. The HHV DNA, including Herpes simplex virus (HSV)-1/2, Varicella zoster virus (VZV), Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and Human herpes virus (HHV)-6 and -7, was detected by multiplex PCR. The epidemiological and clinical features were also analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HHV DNA was detected in 63 (33.9%) of the FUO patients, and the prevalence of EBV and HHV-6 was significantly higher than in the normal cohort. HHV co-infection was also frequent (10.2%) in the patients with FUO. The majority of patients with HHV infection present with a fever only. Our data also revealed that EBV infection was associated with hepatitis and abnormal blood indices, HHV-6 was associated with a cough, and HHV-7 was associated with hepatitis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HHVs are associated with Chinese patients (especially for children) with classic FUO. Our study adds perspective to the aetiological and clinical characteristics of classic FUO in beijing patients.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Medical Virology, Ministry of Health; National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, China CDC, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Weimin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Beijing No. 2 High School, Dong Cheng District, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Xinyi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Medical Virology, Ministry of Health; National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, China CDC, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yamin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Medical Virology, Ministry of Health; National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, China CDC, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Wenjie
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005335:Fever of Unknown Origin / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral