2025 Volume 57 Issue 2 Pages 102-107
There are nine human herpesviruses (HHVs). Herpes simplex virus (HSV) and varicella-zoster virus (VZV) belong to Alphaherpesvirinae, which has neurotrophy. As recent topics, an association with autoimmune encephalitis after HSE has been reported for HSV, and for VZV, an increase in central nervous system (CNS) complications is concerned due to an increase in herpes zoster.
HHV-6, which is one of Betaherpesvirinae, is a lymphotropic HHV. Recently, HHV-6 has been implicated in medial temporal lobe sclerosis, which is an intractable epilepsy. In addition, FilmArray® Meningitis and Encephalitis Panel was covered by insurance in Japan in October 2022, facilitating the detection of HHV-6 in cerebrospinal fluid. However, since HHV-6 latently infects mononuclear cells, it must be taken care to detect HHV-6 latently infecting mononuclear cells in CSF or HHV-6 incorporated into host chromosomes and to distinguish it from active infection.
Epstein-Barr virus, which is one of Gammaherpesvirinae, is also a lymphotropic HHV, but its involvement with multiple sclerosis has recently been reported.
Thus, many topics on various HHVs and CNS diseases have been reported in recent years. In this article, these HHV and CNS disease topics will be reviewed.
