Complications
In one study conducted in the US, 13% of children with primary human herpesvirus (HHV)-6 infection experienced seizures, which sometimes were prolonged or recurrent.[12] It is undetermined if these seizures are purely febrile seizure episodes or if there is another causative factor related to the infection itself.
Up to approximately one third of first-time childhood febrile seizures may be attributed to primary HHV-6 infection.[12][17]
The majority of isolated febrile seizures in otherwise healthy children do not require treatment or further work-up, but consultation with a paediatrician is recommended in each case.
Emergency evaluation is recommended in the setting of more than one seizure episode, seizure episodes lasting more than 15 minutes, or seizures in conjunction with any other complicating factors.[25]
Reactivation occurs frequently in solid organ and bone marrow transplant recipients, most commonly in the first month after transplantation.
HHV-6 is also associated with encephalitis and related central nervous system disease in patients who are immunocompromised.[11][26]
The most common presentation of HHV-6 reactivation is either an asymptomatic or mild febrile illness, often with rash, in patients who are immunocompromised.
HHV-6 reactivation is more common in patients with advanced AIDS. There is controversy regarding whether HHV-6 infection is a factor in HIV disease progression.[5]
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