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Prospective Characterization of the Risk Factors for Transmission and Symptoms of Primary Human Herpesvirus

Soren Gantt1, Jackson Orem2, Elizabeth M Krantz3

  • 1University of British Columbia, Child and Family Research Institute, Vancouver, Canada Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

The Journal of Infectious Diseases
|February 27, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Infant human herpesvirus (HHV) infections are common, with HHV-6B, Epstein-Barr virus, and cytomegalovirus being most frequent. Unlike other HHVs, herpes simplex virus type 1 caused clinical illness in newborns.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Human herpesvirus (HHV) infections are prevalent in infants, often presenting asymptomatically.
  • Prospective studies using direct viral detection are crucial for understanding primary HHV infections.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the incidence and risk factors of various HHV infections in newborn infants and their households.
  • To differentiate clinical presentations and transmission dynamics among different HHV types.

Main Methods:

  • Weekly oropharyngeal swabs and bi-monthly blood samples collected from infants, mothers, and household contacts in Uganda.
  • Quantitative PCR used to detect herpes simplex virus (HSV) types 1 and 2, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), HHV-6A, HHV-6B, and HHV-8.

Main Results:

  • High 12-month incidence rates observed for HHV-6B (76%), CMV (59%), and EBV (47%).
  • Oropharyngeal shedding by contacts correlated with HHV-6A/6B transmission; maternal HIV-1 with EBV; breastfeeding and younger contacts with CMV.
  • Primary infections with HHVs, except HSV-1, were subclinical in infants.

Conclusions:

  • Incidence and risk factors for HHV infections differ significantly by virus type.
  • Herpes simplex virus type 1 is distinct, causing acute clinical illness in infants, unlike other primary HHV infections studied.
Abstract

Keywords:
Epstein-Barr virusHHV-6AHHV-6BHHV-8HIV-exposed uninfectedcytomegalovirusherpes simplex virusinfantprimary infection

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