Study Of Human Herpesvirus 7 Infection In Peripheral Blood Of Patients After Treatment Of Artificial Kidney

Objective To investigate the prevalence of human herpesvirus 7 (HHV-7) in peripheral blood of patients after treatment of artificial kidney, and to define the infection and pathogenicity of HHV-7 in artificial kidney patients.Methods In 50 cases of patients after treatment of artificial kidney and 54 healthy volunteers, the prevalence of HHV-7 in peripheral blood mononuclear cell and cell-free viral DNA in plasma was tested by nested polymerase chain reaction (nested PCR) assay; the product of PCR was digested by restricted enzyme EcoR I to identify its specificity.Results (1) Of the 50 patients, the prevalence of HHV-7 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was 82%(41/50), the prevalence of HHV-7 in plasma was 16% (8/50). (2) Of the 54 healthy individuals, the prevalence of HHV-7 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was 51. 8%(28/54), the prevalence of HHV-7 in plasma was 0. 0%(0/54). (3) There is a significant difference on the positive rate of HHV-7 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells between the patients and the healthy individuals(x2 = 10. 57, P<0. 05). The difference of positive rate of HHV-7 in plasma was also significant between the patients and the healthy individuals(x2 = 9. 36, P<0. 05).Conclusion (1) These results indicated that there was higher HHV-7 DNA positive rate in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of artificial kidney patients, which indicated that cross infection might exist during the process of artificial kidney, or the potential HHV-7 was reactivated easily. (2) Nested-PCR combined with restriction enzyme technique is a sensitive, specific and effective method in detecting HHV-7. (3) Some of artificial kidney patients were HHV-7 DNA positive in plasma, while none of the controls was HHV-7 DNA positive, It suggested that active infection of HHV-7 might be related to the artificial kidney.