Human herpes virus 6 antibodies in beta-thalassemia/hemoglobin E pediatric patients.

Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) is a viral pathogen that causes exanthem subitum in children. It has also been identified as the cause of life-threatening illness in immunocompromised pediatric patients and transplant recipients. We undertook a serological study of HHV-6 IgM and IgG antibody among 29 children (12 females and 17 males) with beta-thalassemia/HbE disease. The rate of infection was 86.2%; the rates of early recent infection (IgM positive only), recent infection (both IgM and IgG positive) and past infection (IgG positive only) were 13.8%, 41.4% and 31.0%, respectively. The geometric means of the IgM and IgG titers of the splenectomy group (9 cases) were 10.15 units and 11.18 units, respectively. The geometric means of the IgM and IgG titers of the non-splenectomy group (20 cases) were 10.10 units and 12.84 units, respectively. According to this study, the prevalence of HHV6 infection among pediatric patients with beta-thalassemia/HbE is very high; morever, the significantly higher titer among these patients may imply a high risk for further possible bone marrow transplantation. Increased awareness of HHV-6 infection among this population is necessary.