Home | HHV-6 | The Lab | Physician's Corner | Links | Contact Us | Site Map HHV-6 and Complications in TransplantationHuman Herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) is known to be a significant source of opportunistic infection in approximately 50% of bone marrow and solid organ transplant recipients. Reactivation of latent HHV-6 can cause symptoms in transplant patients including bone marrow suppression, fever, rash, and central nervous system complications. In bone marrow transplant (BMT) patients, HHV-6 infection can also result in delayed engraftment and myelosuppression. Studies show that the average time from transplant to first isolation of active HHV-6 is three to four weeks in bone marrow and liver transplant patients. Recognition that HHV-6 can cause infection in transplant patients is essential. Detection of an active infection of HHV-6 is important because the infection can be treated with currently available antiviral medications such as ganciclovir and foscarnet. Recent observations, by our lab and by others, indicate that HHV-6 reactivation may be a predictor of invasive fungal infections in transplant recipients. For more information about HHV-6 and transplantation, click here. Links to other pages in the About
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