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- Title
Human herpesvirus 6 infects the central nervous system of multiple sclerosis patients in the early stages of the disease.
- Authors
A. Rotola; I. Merlotti; L. Caniatti; E. Caselli; E. Granieri; M. R. Tola; D. Di Luca; E. Cassai
- Abstract
The presence and the replicative state of human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) were evaluated in clinical samples from multiple sclerosis (MS) patients at the first time of MS diagnosis. HHV-6 variant B was present in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 5/32 (15%) patients, but persisted with a latent infection. Viral sequences were present also in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), both free in the liquid (7/32, 22%) and latent in the cellular fraction (3/32, 9%), as shown by analysis of viral transcription. In these cases, variant A was detected. HHV-6 DNA sequences present in the CSF were associated to mature viral particles. In fact, in vitro infectious assays of CSF showed the presence of replication-competent virions. These results show that about 20% of MS patients have active foci of HHV-6 variant A infection in the early stages of the disease and suggest that viral replication takes place within the central nervous system.
- Publication
Multiple Sclerosis (13524585), 2004, Vol 10, Issue 4, p348
- ISSN
1352-4585
- Publication type
Academic Journal
- DOI
10.1191/1352458504ms1045oa