Isolation of HHV-6-related virus from children affected by infectious syndrome.

Peripheral blood cultures from children showing symptoms of generic infectious disease have been examined for human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6). Two HHV-6-related isolates have been obtained: one from a child for whom a clinical diagnosis of exanthema subitum has been made when a typical rash appeared, and one from a child in whom the infectious symptomatology has maintained the characters of nonspecific syndrome. All the syndrome diagnosed as exanthema subitum resulted as being associated with fresh infection by HHV-6-related virus.