title: Detection of Human Herpesvirus 6B (HHV-6B) Reactivation in Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Recipients with Inherited Chromosomally Integrated HHV-6A by Droplet Digital PCR.
abstract: The presence of inherited chromosomally integrated human herpesvirus 6 (ciHHV-6) in hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) donors or recipients confounds molecular testing for HHV-6 reactivation, which occurs in 30 to 50% of transplants. Here we describe a multiplex droplet digital PCR clinical diagnostic assay that concurrently distinguishes between HHV-6 species (A or B) and identifies inherited ciHHV-6. By applying this assay to recipient post-HCT plasma and serum samples, we demonstrated reactivation of HHV-6B in 25% (4/16 recipients) of HCT recipients with donor- or recipient-derived inherited ciHHV-6A, underscoring the need for diagnostic testing for HHV-6 infection even in the presence of ciHHV-6.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: Ruth Hall
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Sedlak
authors.affiliation: Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: Joshua A
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-7665-7100
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: Thuy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: Greg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Levin
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: Meei-Li
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious and Immune Diseases, CHU de Quebec Research Center, Quebec City, Canada Department of Microbiology-Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec City, Canada.
authors.forename: Louis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Flamand
authors.affiliation: Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: Danielle M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Zerr
authors.affiliation: Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boeckh
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA kjerome@fredhutch.org.
authors.forename: Keith R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Jerome
mesh_terms: D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D010949:Plasma / Q000821:virology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D019349:Roseolovirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D066027:Transplant Recipients; D014775:Virus Activation