Recurrent Seizures Following Roseola Infantum
Source: Jee SH, Risk of recurrent seizures after a primary human herpesvirus 6-induced febrile seizure. Pediatr Inf Dis J 1998;17:43-48.
Human herpes virus 6 (hhv-6) has been identified as the etiologic agent of Roseola infantum (exanthem subitem).1 R. infantum is consistently manifested as an acute febrile illness of which the most common complication is a febrile seizure. Because studies have shown that HHV-6 persists in the cerebrospinal fluid of children, Jee and associates from the University of Rochester hypothesized that children with HHV-6-associated seizures might be at a higher risk for recurrent seizures. They followed a group of children for one year after the children experienced their first febrile seizure. They compared the subsequent course after an acute febrile seizure of 36 children who were HHV-6 culture positive with 86 children who were HHV-6 negative. A decreased incidence of recurrent seizures occurred in children whose first febrile seizure was caused by HHV-6. Duration and types of first febrile seizures were nearly identical in both groups. Twenty percent of HHV-6 culture-positive children and 40% of HHV-6 culture-negative children experienced a recurrent febrile seizure within one year of their first febrile seizure (P < 0.038). The mean time to recurrent seizure was 8.6 months for children with HHV-6 infection, compared to 3.8 months (P < 0.001) for those without. Thus, in contrast to the authors' hypothesis, children who had febrile seizures caused by primary HHV-6 infection had a lower risk for recurrent seizures when compared to children whose first febrile seizures were from other etiologies.
Reference
1. Hall CB, Human herpes virus-6 infection in children. N Engl J Med 1994;331:432-438.
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