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. 2004 Aug;10(8):1450-4.
doi: 10.3201/eid1008.030788.

Human herpesviruses 6 and 7 and central nervous system infection in children

Asad Ansari  1 , Shaobing Li, Mark J Abzug, Adriana Weinberg
Affiliations

Human herpesviruses 6 and 7 and central nervous system infection in children

Asad Ansari et al. Emerg Infect Dis. 2004 Aug.

Abstract

The role and frequency of human herpesviruses (HHV)-6 and -7 in central nervous system (CNS) diseases of children are unclear. Cerebrospinal fluid samples from 245 pediatric patients (median age 43 days), submitted for evaluations of possible sepsis or of neurologic symptoms, were tested for HHV-6 and HHV-7 DNA by polymerase chain reaction. HHV-6 DNA was found in 3 of 245 samples, and HHV-7 was found in 0 of 245 samples. The three patients with HHV-6 DNA were <2 months of age. HHV-6 was likely pathogenic in two patients with meningitis who lacked evidence of another microbiologic cause. HHV-6 and HHV-7 are uncommon causes of CNS infection in children. HHV-6 may occasionally cause meningitis in young infants.

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