HHV-6-positivity in diseases with demyelination

The triggering agent of multiple sclerosis is still unknown and many viruses, including human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6), are under suspicion. In earlier study we found patients who had HHV-6 reactive OCBs in their CSF. We wanted to investigate whether HHV-6 has an active role in diseases with demyelination.

To analyze the HHV-6-reactive cases in detail and investigate the possible independent role of HHV-6 in the development of central nervous system involvements with demyelination.

We studied serum and CSF samples that were collected over a period of one year, from all patients who had oligoclonal bands (OCB) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and were examined in the Department of Neurology, University Central Hospital of Helsinki, Finland. Clinical evaluation was accomplished blinded of HHV-6 analysis and follow-up time was two years. All patients underwent MRI of the head and clinically indicated CSF analysis.

The 17 patients with HHV-6-reactive OCBs were significantly younger and had significantly more IgG-OCBs in comparison to patients without HHV-6-reactive OCBs. Initial diagnoses in patients with HHV-6-reactive OCBs remained the same during the follow-up time.

Patients with HHV-6-positive OCBs appear to form a separable group. In progressive neurological diseases HHV-6 may have a role in long-term infection with demyelination.