Through the years, HHV-6 has been studied in the context of many lymphoproliferative disorders, including infectious mononucleosis-like illness, drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome/drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DIHS/DRESS), and several types of lymphoma. As lymphotropic viruses, HHV-6A and HHV-6B are able to directly modify the functions of the immune system, especially when the immune system is compromised in some way, and while activation of lymphocytes may be beneficial to combat acute infection, abnormal proliferation can result in a variety of clinical symptoms. In the present review, the authors discuss how these interactions with the immune system may result in pathological lymphoproliferation.
Many lymphoproliferative disorders have unclear etiology, and thus, they can be difficult to treat. Consequently, understanding which of them can be associated with HHV-6 infection might open the door to more targeted treatments and preventative strategies.
Find the free full text here: Eliassen 2018.