HUMAN HERPESVIRUS 6 (HHV6) QUALITATIVE PCR

HUMAN HERPESVIRUS 6 (HHV6), A BETA HERPES VIRUS, HAS LINEAR, DOUBLE-STRANDED DNA MOLECULE. THIS VIRUS SHOWS THE CLOSEST HOMOLOGY WITH CYTOMEGALOVIRUS AND HUMAN HERPES VIRUS 7 (HHV7). THE VIRUS IS SPREAD THROUGH SALIVA AND POSSIBLY BY GENITAL SECRETIONS. HHV6 INFECTION IN INFANTS RESULTS IN EXANTHEMA SUBITUM (ROSEOLA) AND IS THE MOST COMMON CAUSE OF FEVER-INDUCED SEIZURES. ROSEOLA IS ESTIMATED TO AFFECT AS MANY AS 30% OF ALL CHILDREN AND IS MOST COMMON IN SPRING AND FALL. INFECTION IN ADULTS IS SEEN PRIMARILY IN IMMUNOCOMPROMISED HOSTS WHO HAVE UNDERGONE ORGAN TRANSPLANTS OR IN THOSE WITH HIV INFECTION.