Seroconversion and a rise in IgG antibody concentrations in children with infection caused human herpesvirus type 6

Abstract

The investigation was undertaken to assess whether serodiagnosis of infection caused by human herpesvirus type 6 (HHV-6) could be made in children, by determining IgG antibodies over time. One hundred and seven patients aged 1 month to 5 years who had been admitted to the infectious hospital for complaints of fever without apparent catarrhal symptoms were examined. HHV-6 IgG antibodies were found in 50% of the patients. The presence of the antibodies directly correlated with age - more than 80% of the examinees aged above 2 years had IgG antibodies. Its laboratory diagnosis was verified in 18 patients (among them, there were 14 children with roseola, 3 with rash-free fever, and 1 with recurrent febrile convulsions). Thus, serodiagnosis of HHV-6 infection in children, by determining IgG antibodies over time, is an accessible and informative tool to diagnose exanthema subitum (roseola) or rash-free fever and allows the activity of HHV-6 infection to be followed over time.

Keywords

exanthema subitum / human herpesvirus type 6 / febrile convulsions

References

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[4] Yamanishi K., Okuno T., Shiraki K. et al. Identification of human herpesvirus-6 as a causal agent for exanthem subitum // Lancet. - 1988. - Vol. 1. - P. 1065.

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