HHV-6 DNA throughout the tissues of two stem cell transplant patients with chromosomally integrated HHV-6 and fatal CMV pneumonitis

Br J Haematol. 2009 May;145(3):394-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2141.2009.07622.x. Epub 2009 Feb 17.

Abstract

Two patients with the characteristic high human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) DNA loads in peripheral blood caused by chromosomally integrated (CI) virus received a haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) from a donor without CI HHV-6. Both patients died in consequence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) pneumonitis. At autopsy, high amounts of CMV DNA were detected in lungs but at much lower levels in other organs. In contrast HHV-6 DNA was detected at high levels throughout the organs with the exception of donor-derived haematopoietic tissue. In individuals with chromosomal integration, HHV-6 DNA is found in every tissue of recipient origin indicating inheritance through the germ line.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Child
  • Chromosomes, Human / virology*
  • Cytomegalovirus / isolation & purification
  • Cytomegalovirus Infections / mortality
  • DNA, Viral / analysis*
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Female
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation*
  • Herpesvirus 6, Human / genetics*
  • Humans
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / mortality
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / therapy
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / virology
  • Lung / virology
  • Male
  • Pneumonia / mortality
  • Pneumonia / virology
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / mortality
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / therapy
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / virology
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Roseolovirus Infections / genetics
  • Roseolovirus Infections / virology*
  • Virus Integration / genetics*

Substances

  • DNA, Viral