A high circulating copy number of HHV-6 due to chromosomal integration in a child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2010 Dec 1;55(6):1236-8. doi: 10.1002/pbc.22671.

Abstract

We report a case of a 3.5-year-old female with a very high copy number of human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) detected by PCR in blood during acute lymphoblastic leukemia induction therapy. The patient was unsuccessfully treated with antiviral drugs. HHV-6 genome was shown to be constitutively integrated into chromosome 22q-tel, likely to be inherited from the mother who was found to carry high HHV-6 copy number. This case highlights the importance of excluding HHV-6 chromosomal integration before diagnosing HHV-6 infection or reactivation in immunocompromised patients.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Child, Preschool
  • Chromosomes, Human, Pair 22 / genetics
  • DNA, Viral / genetics
  • Female
  • Genome, Viral
  • Herpesviridae Infections / diagnosis
  • Herpesviridae Infections / genetics
  • Herpesviridae Infections / virology
  • Herpesvirus 6, Human / genetics*
  • Herpesvirus 6, Human / isolation & purification
  • Humans
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / genetics*
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / virology*
  • Prognosis
  • Remission Induction
  • Virus Integration / genetics*

Substances

  • DNA, Viral