Reactivation of Human Herpesvirus-6 and -7 in
Pityriasis Rosea
Title: Additional evidence that pityriasis rosea
is associated with reactivation of human herpesvirus-6 and -7.
Authors: Broccolo F, et al.
Publication: J Invest Dermatol. 2005 Jun;124(6):1234-40.
The authors wanted to see whether there human herpesvirus (HHV)-6
and HHV-7 play a role in pityriasis rosea. They enrolled 31 patients
with the skin condition, 12 patients with other skin conditions,
and 36 blood donors as control. They measured the presence of:
- HHV DNA in blood, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC),
and tissues using a technique called quantitative real-time
PCR
- HHV-6 and -7 specific antigens (substance that stimulate an
immune response, used here as a sign for presence of these viruses)
- Anti-HHV-7 neutralizing activity by a synctia-inhibition test
(a particular test to determine the presence of this virus)
They found the following:
| DNA test |
HHV-6 DNA found in the blood of 17% of patients
HHV-7 DNA found in the blood of 39% of the patients
No HHV-6 or HHV-7 DNA were found in the blood of the controls
(those without pityriasis rosea)
The presence of HHV-7 in the bloodstream resulted in higher
levels of PMBC. However, this was not the case for HHV-6.
|
| |
|
| Antigen test |
HHV-6 and HHV-7 antigens were only present in patients with
pityriasis rosea. |
| |
|
| Synctia-neutralizing test |
This test reveal that although antibodies against HHV-7
were found in both pityriasis rosea patients and control,
its level is lower in those with the skin condition. |
The authors concluded that there is a correlation between the
presence of HHV-7 (and to a lesser extent, HHV-6) to pityriasis
rosea.
