1/5. Human herpesvirus-6 associated encephalitis with subsequent infantile spasms and cerebellar astrocytoma.A 14-month-old girl presented after 3 days of fever, floppiness, and diffuse urticarial exanthem. She developed encephalitis and carditis and 1 week later, intractable seizures. Initial CT and MRI showed no changes in the brain parenchyma. On days 14 and 34 after the onset of symptoms, a human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) genome in cerebrospinal fluid was identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Convulsions became more frequent and 11 weeks from the onset, they changed to typical infantile spasms with hypsarrhythmic electroencephalogram. She gradually lost her social contact and ability to walk and sit. Eleven months after the primary infection, a repeated MRI of the brain revealed a cystic tumour of 2 cm in diameter near the vermis. The tumour was surgically removed, and shown to be a pilocytic astrocytoma on histopathological examination. HHV-6 dna was detected by PCR in new tumour tissue. This is the first reported case of HHV-6 encephalitis associated with carditis, infantile spasms, and a subsequent brain tumour containing the HHV-6 genome.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = herpesvirus (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/5. A fatal case of fulminant myocarditis with human herpesvirus-6 infection.We report a case of fulminant myocarditis after steroid pulse therapy for acute hepatitis. Serological studies demonstrated a four-fold increase in the antibodies against human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) IgG, and a PCR showed the existence of HHV-6 virus dna. HHV-6 virus dna was also isolated from the liver and the heart. We believe that exacerbation of fulminant myocarditis was probably associated with the reactivation of HHV-6 due to the immunosuppressive state of the host.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = herpesvirus (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/5. Fatal acute myocarditis in an infant with human herpesvirus 6 infection.A 5 month old girl had typical clinical features of acute myocarditis just after the febrile period of exanthem subitum and died immediately. She had been healthy, with normal development, and there was no family history of particular note. Myocardial postmortem findings were compatible with acute myocarditis. Although the isolation of human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) was not attempted, positive IgM antibody to HHV-6 was detected in the patient's serum. Moreover, HHV-6 variant B dna was detected in several tissues, including myocardium, by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In contrast, antibody responses to human herpesvirus 7, another causal agent of exanthem subitum, were not found, and enteroviral rna was not detected in myocardial tissues by reverse transcription PCR. Apoptotic changes were seen in infiltrating cells within the myocardial tissues by means of the TUNEL method. HHV-6 antigen was not detected in several tissues (including myocardium) by immunohistochemical analysis. In conclusion, HHV-6 may have been the causative agent of fatal acute myocarditis in this infant.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1.2keywords = herpesvirus (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/5. Fatal myocarditis associated with acute parvovirus B19 and human herpesvirus 6 coinfection.We report on the case of a healthy young boy who developed a fulminant myocarditis due to acute coinfection with erythrovirus (parvovirus B19) and human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) in the absence of an antiviral immune response. We suggest that the HHV-6-induced immunosuppression enhanced dissemination of parvovirus B19, which led to fatal myocarditis.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = herpesvirus (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/5. Disseminated herpesvirus infection. association with primary genital herpes in pregnancy.A patient with primary herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 2 genital infection had dissemination in the 37th week of her first pregnancy. This was manifested by severe hepatitis, pancreatitis, and genital lesions. Temporary improvement followed the delivery of a healthy infant by cesarean section. encephalitis became evident on the third postpartum day, and recovery was complicated by profound bradycardia, possibly due to viral myocarditis. vidarabine was administered for seven days, and the patient survived with only mild neurologic sequellae. To our knowledge, this the fourth reported case of disseminated herpesvirus infection in pregnancy and the first due to HSV type 2. pregnancy must be considered as a possible predisposing factor in dissemination of primary HSV infection.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = herpesvirus (Clic here for more details about this article) |