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Inherited ciHHV-6 increases risk of developing acute GVHD and CMV in transplant patients

In All, Cancer, ciHHV-6, Transplant Complications by Kristin Loomis

A higher prevalence of inherited virus was found in patients

Investigators at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center determined that transplant patients with inherited ciHHV-6 were twice as likely to develop acute graft vs host disease and three times more likely to develop high level CMV viremia. Transplant patients were also significantly more likely to have inherited ciHHV-6 than donors.

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Does the high level of U94 in iciHHV-6 contribute to abnormal ‘marker’ chromosomes and cancer?

In All, Cancer, ciHHV-6 by Kristin Loomis

Investigators from the University of Ferrara, Italy have found evidence suggesting that high levels of U94 in ciHHV6 may predispose to the formation of marker chromosomes. A patient with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma positive for inherited chromosomally integrated HHV-6A and HHV-6A was also found in a marker chromosome, an abnormal piece of chromosome that is seen in some leukemia and lymphomas.

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HHV-6, HHV-7 & EBV found in lymphoproliferative disorders of the ocular adnexa

In All, Cancer by Kristin Loomis

Biopsies from patients with 5 types of lymphoproliferative disorders of the ocular adnexa, were found to contain HHV-6 DNA in 9 of 70 (12.9%) samples. While an overall detection rate of 12.9% is significant, HHV-6 was even more prevalent among those with benign lymphoproliferative disorders; HHV-6 was found in 22.7% of those with IgG4-related ophthalmic disease and 28.6% of those with orbital reactive lymphoid hyperplasia.

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EBV and HHV-6B but no CMV found in astrocytomas by digital droplet PCR

In All, Cancer, CNS Disease, Latest Scientific News by Kristin Loomis

A group from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, has reported finding Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) and HHV-6 but no cytomegalovirus (CMV) in astrocytomas, a brain tumor comprising approximately one quarter of all gliomas diagnosed. The group used digital droplet PCR (ddPCR), a technique that is highly precise but less sensitive than nested PCR and immunohistochemistry, techniques that have been used in previous studies.