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HHV-6 infections in hospitalized young children of Gabon
Juliana Inoue1, David Weber1, José Francisco Fernandes1,2,3,4
1Institute of Tropical Medicine, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Insights
Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) was a significant cause of unexplained fever in hospitalized Gabonese children. This common childhood virus should be considered in tropical regions.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Virology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Fever is a frequent reason for pediatric hospitalizations globally.
- Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) is a common viral cause of illness in children, particularly in Western countries.
- Previous studies in Gabon identified unexplained fevers in hospitalized children, prompting further investigation into potential pathogens.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) infection as a cause of hospitalization in Gabonese children with unexplained febrile illness.
- To determine the prevalence of HHV-6 in a cohort of hospitalized children with fever and no identified pathogen.
Main Methods:
- Real-time quantitative PCR was used to detect HHV-6 in blood samples.
- Three groups were analyzed: 91 children with unexplained febrile illness, 91 age-matched febrile children with identified pathogens, and 91 healthy children.
- All participants were recruited from the Albert Schweitzer Hospital in Lambaréné, Gabon.
Main Results:
- HHV-6 was detected in 64% of children with unexplained fever, compared to 41% in the febrile control group and 26% in the healthy control group.
- Children with unexplained febrile illness had significantly higher odds (OR=4.62) of HHV-6 infection.
- Only the HHV-6B variant was identified in the study samples.
Conclusions:
- Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) is a significant, often overlooked, cause of febrile illness and hospitalization in pediatric populations in tropical regions.
- Diagnostic considerations for febrile children in tropical countries should include common viral infections like HHV-6, alongside prevalent tropical diseases.
- Further research is warranted to understand the full impact of HHV-6 in diverse geographical settings.
Purpose:
Fever is a common cause for hospitalization among the pediatric population. The spectrum of causative agents is diverse. Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) is a ubiquitous virus that often causes hospitalization of children in western countries. Previously, we investigated the cause of fever of 600 febrile hospitalized children in Gabon, and in 91 cases the causative pathogen was not determined. In this study, we assessed HHV-6 infection as potential cause of hospitalization in this group.
Methods:
Blood samples were assessed for HHV-6 using real-time quantitative PCR. Three groups were investigated: (1) group of interest: 91 hospitalized children with febrile illness without a diagnosed causing pathogen; (2) hospitalized control: 91 age-matched children hospitalized with febrile illness with a potentially disease-causing pathogen identified; both groups were recruited at the Albert Schweitzer Hospital in Lambaréné, Gabon and (3) healthy control: 91 healthy children from the same area.
Results:
Samples from 273 children were assessed. Age range was two months to 14 years, median (IQR) age was 36 (12-71) months; 52% were female. HHV-6 was detected in 64% (58/91), 41% (37/91), and 26% (24/91) of the samples from groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively; with statistically significant odds of being infected with HHV-6 in group 1 (OR = 4.62, 95% CI [2.46, 8.90]). Only HHV-6B was detected.
Conclusions:
Although tropical diseases account for a large proportion of children's hospitalizations, considering common childhood diseases such as HHV-6 when diagnosing febrile illnesses in pediatric populations in tropical countries is of importance.
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