Human herpes simplex virus-6 (HHV-6) detection and seroprevalence among Qatari nationals and immigrants residing in Qatar

Background

Human herpes simplex virus-6 (HHV-6) is the causative agent of exanthema subitum. Transmission mainly occurs through salivary secretions, yet blood transfusions and organ transplantations have also been reported as routes of transmission. Studies of seroprevalence of HHV-6 in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and other parts of Asia are scarce. As such, this study aimed to estimate the seroprevalence of HHV-6 among healthy blood donors in Qatar.

Methods

In total, 620 healthy blood donors from different nationalities residing in Qatar, mainly from the MENA region and Southeast Asia, were tested using a commercial anti-HHV-6 immunoglobulin G (IgG) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. In addition, HHV-6 DNA from randomly selected samples was tested and quantified using quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction.

Results

Anti-HHV-6 IgG was detected in 71.7% (445/620) [95% confidence interval (CI) 68.2–75.3%] of the tested samples, while 24.3% (61/251) (95% CI 20.0–29.6%) had detectable HHV-6 viraemia. Only 22.5% of individuals with positive IgG status had detectable HHV-6 DNA in their blood, indicating a weak association between viraemia and IgG positivity (P=0.08). Furthermore, no significant difference was associated between HHV-6 viraemia and demographic characteristics, except for nationality.

Conclusion

The seroprevalence of HHV-6 in Qatar was found to be similar to rates reported in other parts of the world.

Other Information

Published in: IJID Regions
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
See article on publisher's website: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijregi.2021.12.005

Additional institutions affiliated with: Hamad Bin Khalifa University - college of Health and Life Science, Qatar University - College of Arts and Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine - Qatar