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. 2022 Mar 21;92(S4):e2021415.
doi: 10.23750/abm.v92iS4.12664.

Human Herpes Virus 7-related encephalopathy in children

Thomas Foiadelli  1 , Virginia Rossi  2 , Stefania Paolucci  3 , Francesca Rovida  4 , Federica Novazzi  5 , Alessandro Orsini  6 , Ilaria Brambilla  7 , Gian Luigi Marseglia  8 , Fausto Baldanti  9 , Salvatore Savasta  10
Affiliations

Human Herpes Virus 7-related encephalopathy in children

Thomas Foiadelli et al. Acta Biomed. .

Abstract

Background: Primary HHV7 infection is almost ubiquitous, and it can present as exanthema subitem. Little is known on the clinical relevance of HHV7 neuroinvasion in immunocompetent children.

Methods: We describe 12 patients (median age 9.45 years, 50% males) with acute encephalopathy and active HHV7 infection. In all patients, HHV7-DNA was detected on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) by RT-PCR.

Results: 7/12 patients had meningoencephalitis (two with ADEM and one with MOG antibody-associated CIS); 5/12 showed acute neuropsychiatric symptoms. EEG showed anomalies exclusively in patients with meningoencephalitis. Six patients had RMN anomalies. CSF HHV7 copies ranged between 20 and 3,500 copies/mL (median 66 copies/mL) and mean HHV7 CSF/blood ratio was 0.75. Outcome was favorable in all children, although 3/12 had minor neurobehavioral sequelae. Mean follow-up period of 5.2 months.

Conclusions: HHV7 can determine neuroinvasion in immunocompetent children, leading to acute encephalopathy. Blood-brain barrier damage and high CSF/blood viral copies ratio correlated with a more severe presentation. We speculate on the importance of immune-mediated mechanisms in provoking clinical features.

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Conflict of interest statement

Each author declares that he or she has no commercial associations (e.g. consultancies, stock ownership, equity interest, patent/licensing arrangement etc.) that might pose a conflict of interest in connection with the submitted article

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Study flow-chart
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Clinical manifestations of acute HHV7 CNS infection
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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