View Post

Surprise finding : HHV-6 telomeric repeats are crucial for HHV-6 integration

In All, ciHHV-6, Latest Scientific News by Kristin Loomis

When the research team led by Benedikt Kaufer attempted to shed light on the mechanism behind HHV-6 integration, they were suprised to find telomeric repeats were critical to the integration process. Since the U94 gene shares homology and biological properties with the adenovirus Rep68 gene responsible for viral integration into human chromosomes, U94 was considered the most likely candidate to mediate HHV-6 integration.

View Post

Superinfection of HHV-6A in ciHHV6A patients with recurrent cardiac disease: a full genome analysis

In All, ciHHV-6, Heart Disease, Latest Scientific News by Kristin Loomis

A group led by Ursula Gompels from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, University of London, did next generation sequencing on three ciHHV6A cardiac patients and found superinfections of HHV-6A in two of the three. They characterized the first full genome sequence of ciHHV-6A and demonstrated the inherited ciHHV6 genome was similar but distinct from known exogenous (community acquired) strains of HHV-6A .

CiHHV-6A is the dominant virus in malignancy and inflammatory disease cases, while ciHHV-6B is the dominant virus in myocarditis cases

In All, ciHHV-6, Heart Disease by hhv6foundation

A sequencing study led by Ursula Gompels of London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, found that 95% (19/21) of Czech ciHHV-6 malignancy and inflammatory disease patients had ciHHV6A while 65% (13/20) of a German myocarditis cohort had ciHHV-6B. The authors propose that this divergence suggests different disease links for the two viruses.

Expert Opinion: Dr. Louis Flamand calls for screening of transplant organs and cells for ciHHV-6 status

In All, ciHHV-6, Transplant Complications by hhv6foundation

Dr. Flamand, a professor and molecular virologist at Université Laval in Quebec city, has written an editorial calling for screening of organ donors for ciHHV-6 status and careful monitoring of recipients of ciHHV-6 donor tissues for signs of active HHV-6 infection and HHV-6 antigen-induced immune rejection. Flamand also questions whether solid organs and stem cells derived from persons with ciHHV-6 should be used in transplantation.