Human Herpesvirus 6 as a Viral Trigger in Mesial Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

Although the cause(s) of epilepsy remain largely unknown, a number of neurotrop-ic viruses known to cause central nervous system (CNS) inflammation have been implicated in the development of seizures [1]. Herpesviruses are among theseagents, and seizures are thought to result from either primary infection or reactivation of latent virus [1]. More recently, human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6), particularly the HHV-6B species known to be acquired during early childhood, continues to be associated with epilepsy, in addition to several other CNS diseases. Importantly, this specific association between epileps