Detection of human herpesviruses 6 and 7 in heart transplant recipients by a multiplex polymerase chain reaction method

Abstract

In order to evaluate the possible reactivation of human herpesviruses 6 (HHV-6) and 7 (HHV-7) after heart transplantation, buffy-coat and plasma specimens from 21 transplant patients and 56 healthy blood donors were examined for HHV-6 and HHV-7 DNA by polymerase chain reaction. Human herpesvirus 6 and HHV-7 infection or reactivation has been suggested to play a role in cytomegalovirus disease progression in renal transplant recipients. In the present study, however, no significant difference in the prevalence of HHV-6 and HHV-7 was found between the immunosuppressed and the healthy population; moreover, no viral reactivation was found in the heart transplant recipients.

Ganciclovir prophylasis and beta-herpesvirus in renal transplant recipients

“…The controversy about the influence between HHV‐6 and HHV‐7 replication and CMV infection is not resolved [8, 9]. In this study, we could observed that CMV replication was longer in the presence of HHV‐6 viremia: 40 ± 25 days versus 18 ± 16 days ( P = 0.0001).…”

Cardiac transplantation: Pre-transplant infectious diseases evaluation and post-transplant prophylaxis

“…It is also important to screen adult recipients for antibodies to EBV, since seronegative recipients of organs from infected donors are at increased risk for the development of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder [42]. Screening of donor or recipient for human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) or HHV-8 is not routinely performed; the impact of HHV-6 infection in heart transplant patients has not yet been clearly defined [43], and the rare occurrence of Kaposi's sarcoma among heart transplant recipients (less than 1%) [44] makes population screening impractical.…”

Longitudinal Study of Herpesviruses in Kidney Transplant Recipients in Cuba

“…The development of a sensitive and rapid diagnostic assay is necessary for the early initiation of antiviral therapy to avoid complications and loss of the transplanted organ [1,2,5]. A prospective laboratory and clinical study that involved a subgroup of kidney transplant recipients was performed to assess a longitudinal analysis of the clinical impact of plasma herpesvirus viremia and CMV urine excretion in this population.…”