HHV6

[Suzan]

My daughter's test that the neurologist received back were all normal except for the HHV6 which was elevated. The nurse said the doc said that this "may or may not be significant but if she's doing fine now, since she can walk again, we can just wait and see". I said, "well, she's acting like a little evil demon but yeah, she can walk."

 

Does anyone know anything about HHV6 titers? Her result was 1 to 40 where the norm is 1 to 20. I have no idea what that means.

 

I found this definition on the internet to just try to begin understanding what this might mean. Of course the word encephalitis is never comforting.

 

Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) infection is often asymptomatic. Symptomatic manifestations occur predominately after primary infection in infants and after either primary or reactivation disease in immunocompromised adults.

 

Children: Approximately 20% of HHV-6 infections manifest as roseola, with an abrupt onset of high fever that lasts 3-5 days. This is followed by an erythematous maculopapular rash that appears when the temperature normalizes. The rash starts at the trunk and spreads centrifugally to the face and limbs. More commonly, the infection presents as an acute nonspecific febrile illness in a child younger than 2 years. HHV-6 infection may also manifest as a rash and no fever.

Irritability

Ear symptoms, otitis

Upper respiratory tract symptoms

Gastrointestinal symptoms, including liver dysfunction and hepatitis

Fever-induced seizures

Bulging fontanelles

Symptoms of meningoencephalitis