ISOLATION OF HUMAN HERPESVIRUS-7 FROM A CHILD WITH SYMPTOMS MIMICKINGCHRONIC EPSTEIN-BARR-VIRUS INFECTION

Human herpesvirus-7 (HHV-7), which is a newly identified human herpesv irus with an unknown pathologic role, was isolated from a 5-year-old b oy suffering from fever, hepatosplenomegaly and pancytopenia. Although the clinical course was similar to that of chronic active Epstein-Bar r virus infection, no viruses other than HHV-7 were isolated. This fin ding raises the possibility that HHV-7 played a pathogenic role in the present patient.