Type 6 human herpes virus and chronic asthenic syndrome

Chronic asthenia syndrome has been associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). To investigate the possible role in this syndrome of human herpesvirus type 6 (HHV-6), a new herpesvirus discovered in 1986, we performed a serological study of 44 patients diagnosed of chronic asthenia syndrome and 50 controls.

Fifty healthy controls (34%) and 44 patients (54.5%) had positive serological tests for HHV-6. This difference was significant (p less than 0.05). The rate of positive serological studies for CMV and EBV was higher in healthy controls (n = 50) than in patients (n = 37) (96% vs 67.7% for CMV [p less than 0.001] and 92% vs 78.4% for EBV [non significant difference]).

We conclude that HHV-6 may play a role in the pathogenesis of chronic asthenia syndrome. In our group of patients there were no significant differences in the presence of anti EBV capsid antibodies.

CITATION  Med Clin (Barc). 1990 May 19;94(19):721-4