Active human herpesvirus infections in adults with systemic lupus erythematosus and correlation with the SLEDAI score

• Published in: Advances in rheumatology (London, England) Vol. 60; no. 1; pp. 1 - 42
• Main Authors: Reis, Alex Domingos, Mudinutti, Cristiane, de Freitas Peigo, Murilo, Leon, Lucas Lopes, Costallat, Lilian Tereza Lavras, Rossi, Claudio Lucio, Costa, Sandra Cecília Botelho, Bonon, Sandra Helena Alves
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Portuguese
• Published: London BioMed Central 24.08.2020; Sociedade Brasileira de Reumatologia; BMC
• Subjects: Chicken pox; Deoxyribonucleic acid; Disease; DNA; DNA viruses; Encephalitis; Epstein-Barr virus; Ethics; Hepatitis; Herpes viruses; Herpesviridae; Hospitalization; Infections; Lupus; Lymphoma; Mononucleosis; Patients; Polymerase chain reaction; RHEUMATOLOGY; Sarcoma; Systemic lupus erythematosus; Polymerase chain reaction; Herpesviridae; Systemic lupus erythematosus
• ISSN: 2523-3106; 2523-3106
• DOI: 10.1186/s42358-020-00144-6

Abstract Background Human herpesviruses (HHVs) are responsible for a significant number of clinical manifestations in systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) patients. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of active HHV infections in SLE patients and correlating them with disease activity. Methods Serum samples were collected from 71 SLE patients and their DNAs were extracted and analyzed to detect HHV-DNA viruses using the nucleic acid amplification technique. Results Fifteen out of the 71 (21.1%) patients tested positive for the HHV-DNA virus. Of them, 11/15 HHV-DNA-positive patients (73.3%) had SLE activity index (SLEDAI – Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index) ≥8 ( p  = 0.0001). Active HCMV infection was the mostly frequently observed infection, occurring in 6/15 patients (40%). The frequencies of other active viral infections were 22% for HSV-1, 16.7% for HHV-7, and 5.5% for HSV-2. Viral coinfection (two or more viruses detected in the same sample) occurred in three patients (16.7%). Active HHV infections in SLE patients are more frequent in those with active SLE (≥8), who is at high risk of HHV reactivation and HCMV disease. Conclusion Viral surveillance is important to identify active HHV infections that can cause clinical symptoms and other complication in SLE patients.