Human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6)-associated hemophagocytic syndrome

M Takagi1, A Unno, T Maruyama

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Koshigaya Municipal Hospital, Saitama, Japan. mtakagi@nch.go.jp

Virus-associated hemophagocytic syndrome (VAHS) is characterized by histiocytic proliferation and phagocytosis triggered by virus infections. Viruses in the herpes group, especially the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), are well known to cause VAHS; however, the relationship between this syndrome and human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) infection has rarely been reported. In this study, we describe a 23-month-old girl who exhibited typical manifestations of VAHS associated with HHV-6 infection. To the best of our knowledge, this case is the fifth reported case in the English literature.

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