Chronic myelopathy associated with human herpesvirus-6

Neurology. 1995 Nov;45(11):2015-7. doi: 10.1212/wnl.45.11.2015.

Abstract

Human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) is implicated in a variety of neurologic diseases. We report a previously healthy elderly woman with progressive spastic paraparesis. At autopsy the spinal cord showed widespread demyelination, axonal loss, and chronic inflammation. HHV-6 DNA was amplified, using polymerase chain reaction, from spinal cord tissue, and glial cells were immunoreactive with an HHV-6 antibody. These findings suggest that HHV-6 may cause myelopathy.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Chronic Disease
  • DNA, Viral / analysis
  • Female
  • Herpesviridae Infections / virology*
  • Herpesvirus 6, Human*
  • Humans
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Spinal Cord / pathology
  • Spinal Cord / virology
  • Spinal Cord Diseases / virology*

Substances

  • DNA, Viral