Seroprevalence of human herpesvirus 6 in Andino Puneños (Argentina)

ROMAGNOLI PA; NATES SV; PAVAN JV; SERRA HM

TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE

ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC

Lugar: London; Año: 2000 vol. 94 p. 669 - 672

0035-9203

We carried out a seroepidemiological survey to define the prevalence of human herpesvirus 6 (HHV6) infection in an aboriginal population (Andino Puneños) from a remote region in north-west Argentina. Antibodies against HHV6 (total IgG and the 4 subclasses of IgG) were studied in 84 serum samples (collected in 1995 and stored at -70 degrees C), using core blood mononuclear cells infected with HHV6 in an immunofluorescence assay. Of the 84 samples, 70 (83%; 95% confidence interval, 75-91%) exhibited IgG antibodies against HHV6. No significant differences in the frequency of humoral immunity were found among the 4 age-groups studied (mean ages 13, 31, 47 and 70 years) namely, 75%, 89.7%, 79.2% and 100%, respectively. HHV6-specific IgG1 was found in all the positive serum samples tested but none of them contained specific IgG2, IgG3 and IgG4. These results confirmed a high rate of infection with HHV6 within this aboriginal group in Argentina and an IgG1 anti-HHV6 activity compatible with a maintenance of immunity.