ASSESSMENT OF HHV-6 AND HHV-7 IN PATIENTS AFTER KIDNEY TRANSPLANTATION

Human herpesviruses hhv-6 and hhv-7 reactivation in transplantation is associated with indirectimmunomodulatory effects, such as cytomegalovirus (cmv) disease, increased opportunistic infections,graft dysfunction and acute rejection (ar). in this study, we analysed the clinical and immunologicaloutcomes in renal transplant recipients (rtr) with active hhv-6 and hhv-7infection. between january 2007 and december 2007, clinical, virological and immunologicaltests were carried out in 46 rtr. the patients were divided into three groups: with active hhv-6infection; with active hhv-7 infection; and without infection (control). the mean follow-up was14 ± 2.5 months. at three months after renal transplantation (rt), active cmv infection was presentin 12 (26%); hhv-6 in four (8.6%); and hhv-7 in nine (19.5%) of rtr. active b-herpesvirusesinfection was not associated with more frequent ar and worsening of graft function inrecipients at different times after rt. the lymphocyte subsets (cd3+; cd4+ and cd8+ cell count)were considerably lower in rtr before rt. at 3 months after rt cd19+ and cd25+ cell countswere significantly increased in the hhv-7 group compared with the control group (p < 0.05). significantdifferences were not found in clinical and immunological outcomes between patients withactive b-herpesviruses infection and those without active b-herpesviruses infection.