Attenuation of human herpesvirus 6B reactivation by aging. Issue 7 (27th February 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kobayashi, Nobuyuki; Nishiyama, Toshiko; Yamauchi, Takashi; Shimada, Kazuya; Suka, Machi; Kondo, Kazuhiro; Yanagisawa, Hiroyuki
• Is Part Of: Journal of medical virology. Volume 91:Issue 7(2019)
• Page Start: 1335
• Page End: 1341
• Publication Date: 2019-02-27
• Subjects: human herpesvirus 6 (HHV‐6) -- immune system -- latent infection -- reactivation; Virology -- Periodicals; 616
• DOI: 10.1002/jmv.25434
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0146-6615

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: There has been little research on human herpesvirus 6B (HHV‐6B) in healthy adults and prevalences in different age groups have been unclear. Therefore, the major objective of this study was to evaluate seroprevalence to HHV‐6 antibodies in ordinary working people and examine the effect of aging on seroprevalence. Also, as HHV‐6B is reactivated in saliva, another objective was to investigate an association between age and HHV‐6B reactivation based on measured salivary HHV‐6 DNA levels. Methods: Our subjects were 77 ordinary office workers who underwent a health checkup. In this population, we measured anti‐HHV‐6 antibody titers using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay and salivary HHV‐6 DNA levels. In addition to examining an association with age, we examined associations with body mass index, smoking habit, and alcohol consumption as confounding factors. Results: There was a significant decrease in the seropositivity of HHV‐6 antibodies in subjects of 50 years and older, and age was significantly negatively correlated with anti‐HHV‐6 antibody titers. Age and salivary HHV‐6 DNA levels were also significantly negatively correlated but there were no significant correlations with other factors. Conclusions: Our results suggest that HHV‐6B reactivation is attenuated by aging. Thus, HHV‐6 antibodies steadily decrease in the body with aging.