Human Herpesvirus 6 and Multiple Sclerosis: A One-Year Follow-up Study

Background. This study was undertaken in order to investigate the possible relation of HHV‐6 and EBV in relapsing‐remitting MS (RRMS). Materials and methods. A one‐year follow up study was performed analysing peripheral blood mononuclear cells and serum samples of 57 patients with RRMS and 57 health...

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Published in:Brain pathology (Zurich, Switzerland) Switzerland), 2006-01, Vol.16 (1), p.20-27
Main Authors: Álvarez-Lafuente, Roberto, Heras, Virginia DeLas, Bartolomé, Manuel, García-Montojo, Marta, Arroyo, Rafael
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
DNA, Viral - analysis
Female
Herpesvirus 4, Human - genetics
Herpesvirus 6, Human - genetics
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Monocytes - virology
Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting - physiopathology
Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting - virology
Recurrence
Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
RNA, Messenger - biosynthesis
RNA, Messenger - genetics
RNA, Viral - biosynthesis
RNA, Viral - genetics
Viral Load
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Summary:Background. This study was undertaken in order to investigate the possible relation of HHV‐6 and EBV in relapsing‐remitting MS (RRMS). Materials and methods. A one‐year follow up study was performed analysing peripheral blood mononuclear cells and serum samples of 57 patients with RRMS and 57 healthy blood donors (HBD) by a quantitative real time PCR, to detect HHV‐6 and EBV. Clinical data (starting age and EDSS increase) were collected. Results. We did not find any statistically significant difference for EBV between RRMS patients and HBD. Regarding HHV‐6: i) There was a higher prevalence of HHV‐6 in RRMS patients than in controls: 80.7% versus 29.8% respectively. ii) HHV‐6 active replication seems to be related to exacerbations. iii) Only variant A was detected among RRMS patients with HHV‐6 active replication. iv) Although some difference was found when we compared clinical data in RRMS patients with and without HHV‐6 active replication, the results did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions. A higher HHV‐6A frequency of active infection (reactivation or new infection) would lead to a more frequent exposure of HHV‐6A antigens to the immune system of RRMS patients; this active replication of HHV‐6A seems to be specifically related with the exacerbations in a subset of RRMS patients.
ISSN:1015-6305
1750-3639
DOI:10.1111/j.1750-3639.2006.tb00558.x