Detection of human herpesvirus 7 infection in young children presenting with exanthema subitum
Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz
; 106(3): 371-373, May 2011.
Article
in En
| LILACS
| ID: lil-589050
Responsible library:
BR1.1
ABSTRACT
In this study, we assessed the prevalence of human herpesvirus-7 (HHV-7) in 141 serum samples from children less than four years of age with exanthematic disease. All samples were negative for measles, rubella, dengue fever and parvovirus B19 infection. Testing for the presence of human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6)-specific high avidity IgG antibodies by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) revealed two main groups one composed of 57 patients with recent primary HHV-6 infection and another group of 68 patients showing signs of past HHV-6 infection. Another 16 samples had indeterminate primary HHV-6 infection, by both IgG IFA and IgM IFA. Serum samples were subjected to a nested polymerase chain reaction to detect the presence of HHV-7 DNA. Among patients with a recent primary HHV-6 infection, HHV-7 DNA was present in 1.7 percent of individuals; however, 5.8 percent of individuals tested positive for HHV-7 DNA in the group with past primary HHV-6 infection. Among the 16 samples with indeterminate diagnosis, 25 percent (4/16) had HHV-7 DNA (p < 0.002). We hypothesise that HHV-7 might be the agent that causes exanthema. However, a relationship between clinical manifestations and the detection of virus DNA does not always exist. Therefore, a careful interpretation is necessary to diagnose a primary infection or a virus-associated disease. In conclusion, we detected HHV-7 DNA in young children from the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Key words
Full text:
1
Index:
LILACS
Main subject:
DNA, Viral
/
Exanthema Subitum
Type of study:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Prevalence_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Child, preschool
/
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
America do sul
/
Brasil
Language:
En
Journal:
Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz
Journal subject:
MEDICINA TROPICAL
/
PARASITOLOGIA
Year:
2011
Type:
Article
/
Project document