title: Analysis of the shedding of three β-herpesviruses DNA in Polish patients subjected to allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: Six-year follow up.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Infections with human β-herpesviruses are common worldwide and are still frequent in patients after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Some data suggest that HHV-6 and HHV-7 could take part in CMV reactivation from latency and/or progression of CMV disease in immunosupressed patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aims of this study were: (1) to summarise retrospectively the results of β-herpesviruses DNA detection in a large group of adult allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients; and (2) to find a potential correlation between viruses belonging to this subfamily.
  
  
  METHODS
  AlloHSCT recipients (N=142) were examined in the early post-transplant period (median=89 days). The presence of CMV, HHV-6 and HHV-7 was confirmed through detection and quantification of viral DNA, isolated from 1679 sera samples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CMV DNA alone was detected in 23.9% of patients, while single HHV-6 and HHV-7 were detected in 14.8% and 9.9% of individuals, respectively. The reactivation of more than one virus was identified in 31% of analysed patients. In cases of concurrent infection, HHV-7 was detected at the same time as HHV-6, and both of them were usually reactivated before CMV. The kinetics of virus reactivation and measured viral load may suggest a potential role of HHV-6 and HHV-7 as co-factors in CMV reactivation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The observed kinetics of virus reactivation may strongly suggest a potential role of HHV-6 and/or HHV-7 as co-factors of CMV reactivation. The co-infection with these β-herpesviruses could predispose patients after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation to a longer and more severe CMV infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Central Clinical Hospital in Warsaw, 1A Banacha Str., 02-097 Warsaw, Poland; Chair and Department of Medical Microbiology, Medical University of Warsaw, 5 Chalubinskiego Str., 02-004 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dzieciatkowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Institute of Haematology and Transfusion Medicine, 14 Gandhi Str., 02-776 Warsaw, Poland. Electronic address: agnieszka_tomaszewska@onet.eu.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tomaszewska
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Central Clinical Hospital in Warsaw, 1A Banacha Str., 02-097 Warsaw, Poland; Chair and Department of Medical Microbiology, Medical University of Warsaw, 5 Chalubinskiego Str., 02-004 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Maciej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Przybylski
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Oncology and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, 1A Banacha Str., 02-097 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Patrycja
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rusicka
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Oncology and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, 1A Banacha Str., 02-097 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Grzegorz W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Basak
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Oncology and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, 1A Banacha Str., 02-097 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Wieslaw W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Jedrzejczak
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Central Clinical Hospital in Warsaw, 1A Banacha Str., 02-097 Warsaw, Poland; Department of Dental Microbiology, Medical University of Warsaw, 1A Banacha Str., 02-097 Warsaw, Poland; Infection Control Unit, Institute of Haematology and Transfusion Medicine, 14 Gandhi Str., 02-776 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wroblewska
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Institute of Haematology and Transfusion Medicine, 14 Gandhi Str., 02-776 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Kazimierz
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Halaburda
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D060085:Coinfection / Q000821:virology; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000821:virology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D016199:Herpesvirus 7, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D057089:Pathology, Molecular; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019349:Roseolovirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000821:virology*; D019562:Viral Load; D014775:Virus Activation; D017201:Virus Shedding; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral
keywords: Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation; Molecular diagnostics; Post-transplant infections; Real-time PCR; β-Herpesviruses