Background: Primary HHV7 infection is almost ubiquitous, and it can present as exanthema subitem. Little is known on the clinical relevance of HHV7 neuroinvasion in immunocompetent children. Methods: We describe 12 patients (median age 9.45 years, 50% males) with acute encephalopathy and active HHV7 infection. In all patients, HHV7-DNA was detected on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) by RT-PCR. Results: 7/12 patients had meningoencephalitis (two with ADEM and one with MOG antibody-associated CIS); 5/12 showed acute neu-ropsychiatric symptoms. EEG showed anomalies exclusively in patients with meningoencephalitis. Six patients had RMN anomalies. CSF HHV7 copies ranged between 20 and 3,500 copies/mL (median 66 copies/mL) and mean HHV7 CSF/blood ratio was 0.75. Outcome was favorable in all children, although 3/12 had minor neu-robehavioral sequelae. Mean follow-up period of 5.2 months. Conclusions: HHV7 can determine neuroinvasion in immunocompetent children, leading to acute encephalopathy. Blood-brain barrier damage and high CSF/ blood viral copies ratio correlated with a more severe presentation. We speculate on the importance of immune-mediated mechanisms in provoking clinical features. (www.actabiomedica.it).

Human Herpes Virus 7-related encephalopathy in children

Paolucci S.;Novazzi F.;Savasta S.
2021-01-01

Abstract

Background: Primary HHV7 infection is almost ubiquitous, and it can present as exanthema subitem. Little is known on the clinical relevance of HHV7 neuroinvasion in immunocompetent children. Methods: We describe 12 patients (median age 9.45 years, 50% males) with acute encephalopathy and active HHV7 infection. In all patients, HHV7-DNA was detected on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) by RT-PCR. Results: 7/12 patients had meningoencephalitis (two with ADEM and one with MOG antibody-associated CIS); 5/12 showed acute neu-ropsychiatric symptoms. EEG showed anomalies exclusively in patients with meningoencephalitis. Six patients had RMN anomalies. CSF HHV7 copies ranged between 20 and 3,500 copies/mL (median 66 copies/mL) and mean HHV7 CSF/blood ratio was 0.75. Outcome was favorable in all children, although 3/12 had minor neu-robehavioral sequelae. Mean follow-up period of 5.2 months. Conclusions: HHV7 can determine neuroinvasion in immunocompetent children, leading to acute encephalopathy. Blood-brain barrier damage and high CSF/ blood viral copies ratio correlated with a more severe presentation. We speculate on the importance of immune-mediated mechanisms in provoking clinical features. (www.actabiomedica.it).
2021
2022
ADEM; Encephalitis; HHV7; Meningoencephalitis; PANS; Pediatric; Child; Female; Humans; Male; Brain Diseases; Herpesvirus 7, Human; Meningoencephalitis; Roseolovirus Infections
Foiadelli, T.; Rossi, V.; Paolucci, S.; Rovida, F.; Novazzi, F.; Orsini, A.; Brambilla, I.; Marseglia, G. L.; Baldanti, F.; Savasta, S.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11383/2134526
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