Abstract
Background: There are many uncertainties concerning the etiological and other factors
determining the clinical course of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Viral
infections can be one of them responsible for the onset and sustaining of these processes.
During the last few years much attention had been paid to the beta-herpesviruses demonstrating
that they are involved in the development of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases of CNS
and PNS. Very little is known about these viruses in clinical manifestation of Guillain-Barre
Syndrome (GBS) -an acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, the etiology and
pathogenesis of which is still incompletely understood.
Aim: To evaluate the implication of human β-herpesviruses HHV-6, HHV-7 in acute
inflammatory processes in patients with GBS.
Patients and methods: 30 patients (16 men, 14 women; mean age 41 years) who fulfilled the
diagnostic criteria for GBS and 150 blood donors (73 men, 77 women; mean age 37 years) as
a control group were included in this observation.
Latent/persistent and active HHV-6 and HHV-7 infections were detected by nested PCR using
PBL and plasma DNA as the templates, respectively. Presence of viral mRNA in PBL was
examined by RT-PCR.
Results: PBL DNA of 11 (36.6%) patients showed the presence of HHV-6 genomic sequence
and DNA of 26 (86.6%) patients the presence of HHV-7 genomic sequence. No statistic
difference between the incidence of latent/persistent HHV-6 and HHV-7 infections in patients
with GBS and control group was found. The presence of HHV-6 genomic DNA in plasma was
shown in 3/11 (27.2%) patients (vs. 0/43 in blood donors, p<0.05), HHV-7 genomic sequence
in plasma DNA – in 11/26 (42.3%) patients (vs. 12/113; 10.6% in blood donors, p<0.05).
Conclusions: The correlation between HHV-6 and HHV-7 activation and GBS has been shown.
An implication of all beta-herpesviruses in GBS pathogenesis could not be excluded.
determining the clinical course of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Viral
infections can be one of them responsible for the onset and sustaining of these processes.
During the last few years much attention had been paid to the beta-herpesviruses demonstrating
that they are involved in the development of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases of CNS
and PNS. Very little is known about these viruses in clinical manifestation of Guillain-Barre
Syndrome (GBS) -an acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, the etiology and
pathogenesis of which is still incompletely understood.
Aim: To evaluate the implication of human β-herpesviruses HHV-6, HHV-7 in acute
inflammatory processes in patients with GBS.
Patients and methods: 30 patients (16 men, 14 women; mean age 41 years) who fulfilled the
diagnostic criteria for GBS and 150 blood donors (73 men, 77 women; mean age 37 years) as
a control group were included in this observation.
Latent/persistent and active HHV-6 and HHV-7 infections were detected by nested PCR using
PBL and plasma DNA as the templates, respectively. Presence of viral mRNA in PBL was
examined by RT-PCR.
Results: PBL DNA of 11 (36.6%) patients showed the presence of HHV-6 genomic sequence
and DNA of 26 (86.6%) patients the presence of HHV-7 genomic sequence. No statistic
difference between the incidence of latent/persistent HHV-6 and HHV-7 infections in patients
with GBS and control group was found. The presence of HHV-6 genomic DNA in plasma was
shown in 3/11 (27.2%) patients (vs. 0/43 in blood donors, p<0.05), HHV-7 genomic sequence
in plasma DNA – in 11/26 (42.3%) patients (vs. 12/113; 10.6% in blood donors, p<0.05).
Conclusions: The correlation between HHV-6 and HHV-7 activation and GBS has been shown.
An implication of all beta-herpesviruses in GBS pathogenesis could not be excluded.
| Translated title of the contribution | Association of HHV-6 and HHV-7 with Guillain-Barre Syndrome |
|---|---|
| Original language | Latvian |
| Title of host publication | Medicīna |
| Editors | Māris Baltiņš |
| Place of Publication | Rīga |
| Publisher | Latvijas Universitāte |
| Pages | 68-73 |
| Volume | 694 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9984-783-28-6 |
| Publication status | Published - 2006 |
Publication series
| Name | Latvijas Universitātes raksti |
|---|---|
| ISSN (Print) | 1407-2157 |
Keywords*
- HHV-6
- HHV-7
- latent/persistent infection
- active infection
- GBS
Field of Science*
- 3.2 Clinical medicine
Publication Type*
- 3.2. Articles or chapters in other proceedings other than those included in 3.1., with an ISBN or ISSN code
