Research Article
Tarhan G, Yilmaz N , Ilhan F,
Abstract
HHV-6 is the causative agent of exanthema subitum in children. The main modes of transmission of HHV-6 arebody secretions such as infected saliva but it can be transmitted with blood and blood products that are infected with\the virus. Therefore, it is thought that the immunocompromised hemodialysis patients who had multiple bloodtransfusions due to various reasons, and who collectively use devices such as hemodialysis machines are at risk forHHV-6 infection. The present study aimed to determine the incidence of HHV-6 infection in hemodialysis patients. Twenty-five healthy individuals that were matched with 25 hemodialysis patients in terms of gender and age wereincluded in the study. The IgM and IgG sero-prevalence in the patient and control groups wereinvestigated with theindirect fluorescence antibody method and HHV-6 DNA prevalence and the determination of variant types (variant Aand variant B) were investigated with the PCR-RFLP molecular method. HHV-6 IgG and HHV-6 IgM antibodypositivity ratios in the patient and control groups were 76% and 20% respectively. Out of 50 serum samples of hemodialysis patients and healthy individuals, HHV-6 DNA was positive in seven of 25 samples of hemodialysispatients (28%) and it was positive in eight of 25 samples of the control group (32%). Variant analysis was performedwith the PCR-RFLP method in HHV-6 DNA positive hemodialysis patients and control patients. At the end of theanalysis, while variant A was not detected in the patient and control groups, variant B was detected in a total of 15individuals, including seven patients in the hemodialysis patient group and eight patients in the control group. Inconclusion, the researchers believe that there is a need for controlled studies including more samples to determinethe clinical importance of HHV-6 DNA and HHV-6 variants in hemodialysis patients.