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Disappearance of pre-existing high HHV-6 DNA load in blood after allogeneic SCT

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 40, pages 805–806 (2007)Cite this article

Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) persists after primary infection at low level in blood and may reactivate in immunosuppressed patients, especially recipients of haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) causing encephalitis, engraftment failure, hepatitis and fever.1, 2 In contrast to this situation some individuals have persistent, very high levels of HHV-6 DNA in blood due to chromosomal integration.3 Chromosomal integration of HHV-6 (CHHV-6) was first described by Luppi et al.4 in patients without any of the clinical manifestations of HHV-6 disease. Later, Daibata et al.5 showed the inheritance of integrated HHV-6 DNA through two generations. Indeed, it seems that HHV-6 may be found in every cell of the body since it has been found not only in blood but also in the hair follicles of individuals with CHHV-6, and in both cases there is at least one copy of HHV-6 DNA per cell.3

CHHV-6 is a relatively common phenomenon being found in 0.2 to 2.9% of the human population.6, 7 It is to be predicted therefore that occasionally an allogeneic HSCT recipient or donor will have CHHV-6. Clark et al.8 have reported such a situation with a graft from a donor with CHHV-6 to a patient originally without viral integration; there was consequent transmission of CHHV-6 via haematopoietic stem cells to the donor and an enormous increase in the amount of HHV-6 DNA in blood. Here, we report the opposite donor–recipient combination: a recipient with CHHV-6 who received a graft from a donor without integrated HHV-6.

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Acknowledgements

Supported by the Czech Republic Ministry of Education grant no. 0021620813 and Ministry of Health no. 00064203.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology, Charles University in Prague, Teaching Hospital Motol, Prague, Czech Republic

    P Hubacek, K Muzikova & P Sedlacek

  2. Department of Paediatrics, Charles University in Prague, Teaching Hospital Motol, Prague, Czech Republic

    K Hyncicova & O Cinek

  3. Department of Microbiology, Charles University in Prague, Teaching Hospital Motol, Prague, Czech Republic

    M Zajac

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  1. P Hubacek
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Correspondence to P Hubacek.

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Hubacek, P., Hyncicova, K., Muzikova, K. et al. Disappearance of pre-existing high HHV-6 DNA load in blood after allogeneic SCT. Bone Marrow Transplant 40, 805–806 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bmt.1705813

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