MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGIC STUDIES OF HUMAN HERPESVIRUS-6 IN FAMILIES

The mode of transmission of human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) was investigat ed by molecular epidemiological techniques in four families. HHV-6 was isolated from the peripheral blood of seven infants with exanthem sub itum, including siblings, and from the saliva of two mothers. These is olates were examined for genetic relatedness by means of restriction e nzymes analysis of purified DNA. While the profiles of the digestion p atterns differed among families, they were very similar in a particula r family. These results may suggest that HHV-6 is transmitted primaril y from mother to child. (C) 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.