The Turkish Journal of Pediatrics
2015 , Vol 57 , Num 1
Human Herpesvirus 6 Infection Mimicking Measles: Two Pediatric Cases
1Department of Pediatrics, Hitachiomiya Saiseikai Hospital, and 2Department of Viruses, Ibaraki Prefectural Institute of
Public Health, Ibaraki, Japan. E-mail: masapon.go@gmail.com or d1305@jichi.ac.jp
Measles is a highly contagious viral infection associated with clinical symptoms
such as fever, cough, conjunctivitis, coryza, eruption and increased serum
immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies. A clinical diagnosis is easily established
when the chain of infection can be followed. However, Japan is currently
experiencing sporadic measles outbreaks, which complicate the establishment
of diagnosis. Furthermore, other exanthematous infections such as rubella,
human parvovirus B19, human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) and HHV-7 present
with clinical symptoms and IgM antibody levels similar to those in measles.
Therefore, real-time polymerase chain reaction virogene testing has been
part of Japan’s standard diagnostic protocol for measles since 2010. This
report presents two pediatric cases clinically resembling measles that were
diagnosed as HHV-6 based on a virogene detection test. This underscores
the importance of performing pathogen testing to confirm a diagnosis when
measles is suspected.
Keywords :
antibody, children, exanthem subitum, human herpesvirus 6, polymerase
chain reaction, World Health Organization.