Meta-analysis shows strong association of HHV-6B reactivation and subsequent aGVHD
A new meta-analysis published in Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation shows that transplant patients who reactivate with HHV-6 are 2-3 times more likely to develop acute GVHD.
HHV-6A IE1 antibodies associated with increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma
Using a novel serological assay that can differentiate HHV-6A from HHV-6B, investigators found HHV-6A immediate early antibodies to be associated with an increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
2nd study implicates HHV-6A in unexplained infertility
In 2016, Italian investigators found HHV-6A in the uterus of 43% of women with unexplained infertility but 0% on controls. Now, a second study found localized HHV-6 infection in women with recurrent implantation failure, but not in controls.
Cross-sectional analysis of CD8 T cell immunity to HHV-6B identifies new targets for adoptive T cell therapy
German investigators conducted a broad scale analysis of CD8 T cell responses to HHV-6B, identifying novel epitopes with potential for immunotherapy or vaccines. The strongest responses were directed against an epitope from IE-2.
Cord blood transplant patients with early HHV-6 reactivation have a 4x greater relapse rate
Investigators at the University of Minnesota found that cord blood transplant cancer patients with HHV-6B reactivation in the first 28 days are almost 4x more likely to relapse in the first two years compared to those with no early reactivation.
Late HHV-6B reactivation an independent risk factor for mortality in pediatric HCT
Late HHV-6B reactivation after 60 days was an independent risk factor for mortality in Japanese pediatric hematopoietic cell transplant recipients. Older children and those with hematologic malignancy were 10x more likely to develop late reactivation.
Does HHV-6B reactivation impair thymic function leading to delayed immune reconstitution?
HHV-6B directly infects thymocytes, presumably affecting thymopoeisis. A review in Bone Marrow Transplantation explores the intriguing relationship between HHV-6B, T-cell reconstitution and aGVHD after allogenic hematopoietic cell transplantation.
HHV-6 and lymphoproliferative syndromes: a review
The authors discuss how HHV-6 may contribute to the progression of reactive lymphoproliferative disorders by spurring a dysfunctional immune response.
HHV-6 viremia impairs late T-cell reconstitution in HCT
Dutch investigators found that hematopoietic cell transplant patients with high levels of HHV-6 viremia have reduced late immune reconstitution while early reconstitution was not affected.
Large scale sequencing effort of HHV-6B defines global diversity, finds new genes, and identifies changes due to viral culture
A gigantic sequencing effort by investigators at University of Washington has provided a wealth of new information about the HHV-6B genome, including important flaws of the reference strains currently in use.
High rate of HHV-6 end-organ disease and mortality in pediatric transplant patients
Stanford investigators found that high levels of HHV-6 viremia following allogeneic stem cell transplants were associated end organ disease and greater non-relapse mortality.
Foscarnet prophylaxis reduces severity but does not prevent HHV-6 encephalitis
A Japanese trial of foscarnet prophylaxis in cord blood transplant patients was successful in reducing severity and mortality as well as suppressing high viral loads, but it failed to prevent encephalitis. The authors note that the blood brain barrier must be inflamed to allow effective penetration of the drug into the central nervous system and speculate that the prophylaxis may have protected the meninges.