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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, November 1999, p. 3672-3675, Vol. 37, No. 11
0095-1137/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Detection of Human Herpesvirus 6 by Reverse Transcription-PCR

Renee A. Norton,1,* Mary T. Caserta,2 Caroline Breese Hall,2,3 Kenneth Schnabel,2 Peter Hocknell,1 and Stephen Dewhurst1,4

Department of Microbiology and Immunology,1 Department of Pediatric Infectious Diseases,2 Department of Medicine,3 and University of Rochester Cancer Center,4 University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York 14642

Received 11 June 1999/Returned for modification 13 July 1999/Accepted 4 August 1999

The role of human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) in disease beyond primary infection remains unclear. We have developed and validated a new reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) assay for HHV-6 that can determine the presence of HHV-6 in clinical specimens and differentiate between latent and replicating virus. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 109 children were evaluated for HHV-6 by RT-PCR, DNA PCR, and viral culture. Of these samples, 106 were suitable for analysis. A total of 20 samples were positive for HHV-6 by culture and DNA PCR, of which 19 were positive by RT-PCR (sensitivity, 95%). All 28 samples from children that were negative by viral culture, but positive by DNA PCR, were negative for viral transcripts by our RT-PCR assay. One positive RT-PCR result was observed in 56 samples that were negative by tissue culture and DNA PCR. This indicates a low rate of false-positive results (1.2%) and a specificity of 98.8%. This RT-PCR assay can reliably differentiate between latent and actively replicating HHV-6 and should allow insight into the pathogenesis of this ubiquitous virus.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: University of Rochester Medical Center, Box 689, 601 Elmwood Ave., Rochester, NY 14642. Phone: (716) 275-7989. Fax: (716) 273-1104. E-mail: Renee_Norton{at}urmc.rochester.edu.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, November 1999, p. 3672-3675, Vol. 37, No. 11
0095-1137/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


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