New ciHHV-6 diagnostic test available
Drs. Keith Jerome and Ruth Hall Sedlak from the Molecular Virology unit at the University of Washington’s Department of Laboratory Medicine, are now offering a whole blood qPCR for HHV-6 that aids in the diagnosis of chromosomally integrated HHV-6 (ciHHV-6). The group is running this test in parallel with a newly developed rapid and accurate droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) assay for diagnosis of patients with ciHHV-6. Patients with ciHHV-6 generally have greater than 500,000 HHV-6 DNA copies/mL in whole blood samples. However, most qPCR assays are not precise enough to give an accurate ratio of HHV-6 DNA copies per cell. The ddPCR, on the other hand, is extremely precise and can provide a ratio of HHV-6 DNA copies compared to the number of cells (expected to be 1:1 for ciHHV-6 patients).
The ddPCR assay can determine the number of HHV-6 DNA copies per cell with great precision, and will be the first clinical test in the USA able to determine definitively if a patient has ciHHV-6, a condition that occurs in 0.8% of healthy individuals but 2% of patients.
To order the qPCR test for diagnosis of ciHHV-6 status, samples may be sent to the University of Washington’s clinical laboratory. Download the form below and CIRCLE the box at the bottom that states “HHV6 Chromosome Integration (HHV6CI)”.
(Patients or physicians: if you have positive results, email us and we will send you additional information: information@HHV-6Foundation.org)
Download the requisition form HERE
See chart below for additional details on material requirements for proper processing of this assay:
| Collection | 5 mL blood in LAVENDER TOP tube Unacceptable: GREEN TOP |
| Handling | Send to Lab immediately at room temperature. The Laboratory MUST receive the sample within 48 hours of collection if sample can’t get to lab within 48 hours store at 4 degree until ready to send. |
| Amount | 5.0 mL whole blood |
| Minimum | 1 mL whole blood |