The role of HHV-6 and HHV-7 infections in the development of fibromyalgia.

Human herpes virus-6 (HHV-6) and human herpes virus-7 (HHV-7) are immunomodulating viruses potentially affecting the nervous system. We evaluated the influence of HHV-6 and HHV-7 infections on fibromyalgia (FM) clinical course. Forty-three FM patients and 50 control group participants were enrolled. 39.50% (n = 17) FM patients had light A delta and C nerve fiber damage, 27.91% (n = 12) had severe A delta and C nerve fiber damage. 67.44% (n = 29) FM patients had loss of warm sensation in feet, loss of heat pain sensation, and increased cold pain sensation (34.90%, n = 15 in both findings). HHV-6 and HHV-7 genomic sequences in peripheral blood DNA in 23/43 (51.00%) and 34/43 (75.50%) of samples from FM patients and in 3/50 (6.00%) and 26/50 (52.00%) of samples from the control group individuals were detected. Active HHV-6 (plasma viremia) or HHV-7 infection was revealed only in FM patients (4/23, 17.40% and 4/34, 11.80%, respectively). A statistically significant moderate positive correlation was found between A delta and C nerve fiber damage severity and HHV-6 infection (p < 0.01, r = 0.410). 23/43 patients from the FM group and control group participants HHV-6 and 34/45 HHV-7 did have infection markers. A statistically significant moderate positive correlation was found between A delta and C nerve fiber damage severity and HHV-6 infection (p < 0.01, r = 0.410). No difference was found between detection frequency of persistent HHV-6 and HHV-7 infection between FM patients and the control group. Statistically significant correlation was observed between quantitation of changes in QST thermal modalities and HHV-6 infection. There was no correlation between A delta and C nerve fiber damage and HHV-7 infection.

Correction to: The role of HHV-6 and HHV-7 infections in the development of fibromyalgia.

There are several typographical errors in the section "Statistical Analysis" The corrected version follows.

Importance of High-Risk Human Papillomavirus Infection Detection in Female Renal Transplant Recipients in the First Year after Transplantation.

Objectives: Most of human papillomavirus (HPV) infections are "cleared" by the immune system; however, in cases of immune system suppression, infections could lead to development of malignancies. The aim of this study was to find out the frequency of HR-HPV infection in early period after renal transplantation in recipients receiving immunosuppressive therapy and to follow the progression of the infection up to one year. Methods: 43 female renal transplant recipients and 79 healthy female individuals as a control group were enrolled in this investigation. For the detection of HPV infection, patients' samples (blood and vaginal swabs) were collected two weeks after transplantation with following collection of six months and one year. Different polymerase chain reactions for HR-HPV genomic sequences detection and ELISA kit for detection of anti-HPV IgG antibodies were used. Results: In this study, we show that frequency rate of HR-HPV infection has increased in the first year after transplantation from early stage of immunosuppressive therapy (from 24% to 36%). Also an increase of HR-HPV load was detected over time, showing the highest median viral load at sixth month after transplantation. Conclusions: From the obtained data, it follows that it is very important to carefully monitor patients receiving immunosuppression therapy on progression of HR-HPV.

Human papillomavirus type 18 infection in a female renal allograft recipient: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Human papillomavirus type 18 is the second most common cause of cervical cancer and is found in 7 to 20 % of cases of cervical cancer. The oncogenic potential of high-risk human papillomavirus is associated with expression of early proteins E6 and E7. Due to long-term immunosuppressive therapy, renal transplant recipients have a higher risk of developing persistent human papillomavirus infection. CASE PRESENTATION: A 29-year-old white woman from Latvia with chronic focal segmental glomerulosclerosis received renal allograft transplantation and was prescribed immunosuppressive therapy with cyclosporine, prednisolone, and mycophenolate mofetil. Two weeks after renal transplantation, her cervical swab was positive for human papillomavirus consensus sequences. After 6 months, quantitative polymerase chain reaction showed a high viral load of 3,630,789 copies/105 cells of high-risk human papillomavirus type 18 and expression of E6 and E7 oncogenes in her cervical swab and urine sample. One year after renal transplantation, the viral load in her cervical swab increased significantly to 7,413,102 copies/105 cells. Messenger ribonucleic acid of human papillomavirus type 18 E6 and E7 oncogenes were also detected. Shortly after this, she had an unsuccessful pregnancy which resulted in a spontaneous abortion at 6/7 weeks. Two months after the abortion her viral load sharply decreased to 39 copies/105 cells. Oncogenes E6 and E7 messenger ribonucleic acid expression was not observed in this period. CONCLUSIONS: This case report represents data which show that immunosuppressive therapy may increase the risk of developing persistent high-risk human papillomavirus infection with expression of E6 and E7 oncogenes in renal transplant recipients. However, even during this therapy the immune status of a recipient can improve and contribute to human papillomavirus viral load reduction. Spontaneous abortion can be considered a possible contributory factor in human papillomavirus clearance.

No evidence of XMRV provirus sequences in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and individuals with unspecified encephalopathy.

Xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV) has been considered a possible trigger of myalgic encephalomyelitis/ chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and could also be linked with unspecified encephalopathy. The aim of this study was to analyse the frequency of XMRV proviral sequences in peripheral blood leukocyte (PBL) DNA from 150 patients with ME/CFS and 30 apparently healthy individuals, as well as in PBL and brain tissue DNA from 61 individuals with/without unspecified encephalopathy. Targeting the XMRV proviral gag gene sequence by nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) with previously reported primer sets, provirus was not detected either in DNA from patients with ME/CFS and individuals with unspecified encephalopathy, or in apparently healthy individuals. Only the positive control gave the amplimer of 410 base pairs (bp) after the second round that corresponds to the expected XMRV gag gene fragment. In addition, DNA was found to be negative in nPCR assays, targeting XMRV specific env gene sequence, using previously described primer sets. Also only positive control gave the amplimer of 218 bp after the second round, corresponding to the expected XMRV env gene fragment. Using nPCR we found no evidence of XMRV infection either in apparently healthy individuals or in patients with ME/CFS and individuals with unspecified encephalopathy.

Relationship between beta-herpesviruses reactivation and development of complications after autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation.

The relationship between beta-herpesviruses reactivation and the development of complications after autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation was investigated. Viral genomic sequences were detected by the polymerase chain reaction, virus-specific antibodies by ELISA, and human herpesvirus (HHV)-6 variants by restriction endonuclease analysis. Virus reactivation, serum levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, soluble IL-2 receptor (sIL-2R), IL-2, and IL-4 were compared with clinical features in 44 patients before and after transplantation. Anti-CMV and anti-HHV-6 antibodies were found in 70.5% and 81.8% of patients, respectively. The frequency of plasma viremia was significantly higher in patients after transplantation (41% vs. 11.4%). Reactivation of more than one virus was identified in 55.6% of patients and reactivation of HHV-7 alone in 44.4%. In cases of concurrent infection, HHV-7 was reactivated before HHV-6, and both HHV-6 and HHV-7 were reactivated before CMV. There was a significant increase in HHV-6 load in peripheral blood leukocytes DNA during viremia. In all cases HHV-6B variant was detected. Complications after transplantation occurred in 27.3% of patients and virus reactivation was detected in all patients with complications. The significant increases in the rate of HHV-6 and HHV-7 reactivation and in serum levels of TNF-α, IL-1ß, and sIL-2R, as well as aggravated immunosuppression, suggest that both viruses were involved in the complications after autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation, via their immunomodulatory activity. The kinetics of reactivation suggests a potential role of HHV-7 as a co-factor of HHV-6 reactivation, and of both HHV-6 and HHV-7 as co-factors of CMV reactivation.

Human herpesvirus 6 and 7 reactivation and disease activity in multiple sclerosis.

UNLABELLED: Recent studies have focused on the associations between human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) and human herpesvirus 7 (HHV-7), and multiple sclerosis (MS). The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between HHV-6 and HHV-7 reactivation and MS disease activity, and interleukin 12 (IL-12) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) production. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The frequency of plasma viremia by nested polymerase chain reaction and transcription of viral mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of 14 relapsing/remitting (RR) and 14 secondary progressive (SP) MS patients were studied in comparison with clinical manifestation of the disease. Serum concentrations of cytokines IL-12 and TNF-α were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Plasma samples from 25 of the 28 MS patients with estimated latent/persistent HHV-6 and/or HHV-7 infection were examined during relapse and remission/relative remission. HHV-6 reactivation was found in 4 of the 7 RRMS and 4 of the 7 SPMS patients, and HHV-7 reactivation was identified in 3 of the 7 RRMS and 1 of the 7 SPMS patients (all in relapse). In 2 of the 3 RRMS patients without viremia in relapse, HHV-6 mRNA transcription was detected. In RRMS and SPMS patients with active HHV-6 and HHV-7 infection in relapse, the serum concentrations of IL-12 and TNF-α were significantly higher than in those with latent virus infection. CONCLUSIONS: HHV-6 and HHV-7 reactivation could be implicated in the exacerbation of MS via activation of Th1 lymphocyte subsets.