Orofacial pain of muscular origin is not associated with herpes virus-6 infection: a pilot study

Area of Science:

• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Infectious Diseases
• Immunology

Background:

• Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) encompass a range of conditions affecting the jaw joint and muscles.
• Muscular TMD, specifically localized myalgia, is a common presentation requiring etiological investigation.
• Human herpes virus-6 (HHV-6) has been implicated in various inflammatory and autoimmune conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the potential role of human herpes virus-6 (HHV-6) infection or reactivation in the pathogenesis of localized myalgia, a type of TMD.
• To conduct a pilot study to gather preliminary data on the association between HHV-6 and muscular TMD.

Main Methods:

• A pilot study involving 16 patients diagnosed with localized myalgia and 36 healthy controls.
• Clinical assessment of TMD using the Research Diagnostic Criteria for TMD.
• Quantification of salivary HHV-6 DNA levels using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR).
• Statistical analysis including Fisher exact test, Student t test, and Mann-Whitney U test.

Main Results:

• A lower proportion of TMD patients (43.8%) tested positive for HHV-6 compared to healthy individuals (77.8%) (P < .05).
• Salivary HHV-6B DNA levels were lower in HHV-6-positive TMD patients than in healthy individuals, though this difference was not statistically significant.
• The findings suggest an inverse association between HHV-6 positivity and localized myalgia.

Conclusions:

• This pilot study's results do not support the hypothesis that HHV-6 infection or reactivation contributes to the pathogenesis of TMD presenting as localized myalgia.
• Further research may be warranted to explore other potential etiological factors for muscular TMD.