HHV-6 miRNAs and antibodies were identified and significantly correlated with each other in serum and CSF of MS patients
Abnormal cytokine levels in children with epilepsy suggest link to inflammation
Unique pathways and significantly elevated cytokines were associated with a small cohort of pediatric seizure patients.
Imunocompromised patients with HHV-6 encephalitis have a ratio of CSF/blood viral load >1, whereas children with encephalitis due to primary infection have ratios of <1
Immunocompetent cases are typically children experiencing primary infection with high viral loads in the blood; cases in the immunocompromised typically involve reactivation in the brain tissue, with lower viral loads in the periphery
HHV-6 encephalitis can occur in CAR T-cell therapy and biologic immunotherapy
As with chemotherapy, immunotherapies for cancer can lead to HHV-6 encephalitis
Large serologic study incriminates both EBV and HHV-6A as triggers of multiple sclerosis
HHV-6A infection at any age, and EBV infection after age 20, were found to be significant risk factors
HHV-6 accounted for 5% of all herpetic viral encephalitis in immunocompetent Mexican patients
Psychiatric disorders were the most common prodomal symptom (58%) and this was significantly different from patients with non-herpesvirus encephalitis.
A review of the role of HHV-6A in multiple sclerosis and HHV-6B in epilepsy
Neuroscientists at Karolinska Institute in Sweden summarized the growing literature linking HHV-6A/B to both illnesses.
HHV-6 DNA found in spinal fluid of 8% of patients with aseptic meningitis
Multiplex testing for the causative agents of aseptic meningitis in Saudi Arabia identifies possible etiologic role for HHV-6
No HHV-6 DNA found in the spinal fluid of immunocompetent adults evaluated for limbic encephalitis
While HHV-6B is well known to cause limbic encephalitis in transplant patients, it does not appear to play a role in other forms of limbic encephalitis.
Study of fresh brain tissue confirms a role for HHV-6 in mesial temporal sclerosis
NINDS investigators studied fresh resected brain tissue and found 29 of 54 positive for HHV-6 DNA. Previous studies using formalin fixed and paraffin embedded samples have yielded much lower rates of positivity.
Alcoholism and HHV-6B infection may interact to produce microglial activation, migration in the substantia nigra
Possible synergy between chronic alcohol use and HHV-6B infection of substantia nigra in producing microglial activation
HHV-6A and the suppression of miR155 in Alzheimer’s pathology
Dysregulation of the microRNA miR155 is associated with pathophysiological progression of Alzheimer’s disease. HHV-6A has been shown to suppress miR155.
Latent HHV-6B infection of astrocytes may increase the risk of depression by activating the HPA axis
Japanese investigators show that a protein expressed by latent HHV-6B in astrocytes, results in an influx of extra-cellular calcium, triggering the onset of depression.
Active HHV-6/7 infection found in subset of adult epilepsy patients
HHV-6/7 DNA was found in the plasma of 19.6% of epilepsy patients compared to none of the controls. Protein expression indicating active infection was found in 53% of the HHV-6/7 positive patients.
Multiplex FilmArray Meningitis/Encephalitis assay is useful for diagnosing HHV-6 encephalitis
This multiplex qualitative test for cerebrospinal fluid helps physicians diagnose HHV-6 encephalitis quickly, but interpretation must take into account imaging, ciHHV-6 status and other markers.