Prevalence of Anti-Human Herpes Virus Type ۷ IgG Positivity Rate among Children with Fever and Skin Rash in Diyala Province, Iraq

Human herpesvirus ۷ (HHV-۷) is a T-lymphotropic virus isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells as beta herpes viruses. It is a highly prevalent virus since over ۹۰% of adults are seropositive. The majority of primary infection occurs in early childhood, and its prevalence peaks at ۶۰ % in ۱۱–۱۳-year-old. This study was designed to investigate the seroprevalence of HHV- ۷ infections among apparently healthy children as well as child patients with fever and skin rash in the Diyala community and its association with certain socio-demographic variables. The current study is a cross-sectional study conducted in Diyala province-Iraq, extending from July ۲۰۲۰ to March ۲۰۲۱. A total of ۱۸۰ child patients with fever and skin rash were included. Their age range was ۱-۱۴years. Additionally, ۶۰ healthy age-matched children were enrolled as a control group. A special questionnaire was prepared for this study, including socio-demographic information, clinical notes and the results of a complete blood count. Human privacy was esteemed by obtaining parents' verbal approval. Blood specimen was aspirated from all study groups. Sera were separated and kept at -۲۰ ۰C until tested. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits for the detection of anti-HHV-۷ IgG were used (Mybiosource-China). Statistical analysis was done using Statistical Package of Social Science (SPSS) version ۲۷, and the P value was considered significant wherever it was less than ۰.۰۵. The anti-HHV-۷ IgG positivity rate in patients was ۱۹.۴%, and that in healthy individuals was ۳۱.۷%, with an insignificant difference (P=۰.۰۵۱). The highest HHV-۷ IgG positivity rate was found among patients ۱-۴ years old, matching that in the healthy group with a statistically insignificant difference (P=۰.۶۷۵). The gender, residence and number of children/ family insignificantly affect the distribution of HHV-۷ IgG in the control group. The mean±SD of hemoglobulin (Hb) concentration among participants with negative anti-HHV-۷ IgG was insignificant compared to their positive counterparts (P=۰.۹۸۷). The mean±SD of total WBC count among those positive for anti-HHV-۷ IgG was insignificantly higher than their negative counterpart (P=۰.۹۴۵). The mean±SD lymphocyte count in patients and healthy control positive for anti-HHV-۷ IgG were insignificantly higher (P=۰.۲۴۱) and (P=۰.۳۴۴), respectively. Lastly, healthy control positive for anti-HHV-۷ IgG had insignificantly higher lymphocyte count (P=۰.۷۱۰). About one-third of healthy children in our community were seropositive for anti-HHV ۷ IgG antibodies that are most prevalent at ۱-۴ years old and are insignificantly associated with gender, residence, and the number of children per family. Furthermore, the HHV-۷ infection is insignificantly associated with alterations of complete blood count parameters.

Keywords:

Human herpesvirus-۷ , roseola infantum , Diyala province