V348I mutation in UL23 gene of human herpesvirus 1 in a case of herpetic hepatitis and haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis

S. Corcione; F. Sidoti; C. Costa; S. Mornese Pinna; C. Bonetto; R. Urbino; R. Cavallo; F.G. De Rosa

New Microbes and New Infections (May 2019)

V348I mutation in UL23 gene of human herpesvirus 1 in a case of herpetic hepatitis and haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis

S. Corcione,
F. Sidoti,
C. Costa,
S. Mornese Pinna,
C. Bonetto,
R. Urbino,
R. Cavallo,
F.G. De Rosa

Affiliations

S. Corcione: Department of Medical Sciences, Infectious Diseases, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Corresponding author: S. Corcione, Department of Medical Sciences, Infectious Diseases, University of Turin, Italy.
F. Sidoti: Department of Public Health and Microbiology, Laboratory of Microbiology and Virology, AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
C. Costa: Department of Public Health and Microbiology, Laboratory of Microbiology and Virology, AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
S. Mornese Pinna: Department of Medical Sciences, Infectious Diseases, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
C. Bonetto: Department of Anaesthesia, Intensive Care and Emergency, AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza, Turin, Italy
R. Urbino: Department of Anaesthesia, Intensive Care and Emergency, AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza, Turin, Italy
R. Cavallo: Department of Public Health and Microbiology, Laboratory of Microbiology and Virology, AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
F.G. De Rosa: Department of Medical Sciences, Infectious Diseases, University of Turin, Turin, Italy

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 29

Abstract

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We herein report the case of a young immunocompetent adult patient with a rapidly fatal haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis syndrome related to human herpesvirus 1 (HHV-1) infection, with herpetic hepatitis and persistent high-level viraemia despite treatment with acyclovir. Haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis was confirmed in the patient's spleen and bone marrow. HHV-1 DNA was extracted from whole blood and liver biopsy and the UL23 gene was sequenced. A V348I natural polymorphism of the TK protein was found in blood and liver specimens. Further studies are needed to investigate the role of this polymorphism in the development of systemic immune dysregulation. Keywords: Acyclovir, haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis syndrome, UL23 gene, herpetic hepatitis, human herpesvirus-1

Published in New Microbes and New Infections

ISSN: 2052-2975 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Infectious and parasitic diseases
Website: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/new-microbes-and-new-infections

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