Virus reactivation and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy of drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome

Drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome (DIHS) is a severe multi-organ system reaction caused by specific drugs. Many reports have revealed that human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) reactivation contributes to the development of DIHS. In addition, recent articles have shown that reactivation of other herpesviruses such as human herpesvirus 7 (HHV-7), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV) might be also implicated in the development of DIHS. These observations suggest that not only HHV-6 but also other herpesvirses might reactivate from the latency and play an important role in the appearance of clinical manifestations of DIHS. Several patients with DIHS were treated with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in addition to systemic corticosteroids. The results have been encouraging although virus reactivation could not be suppressed. Although the pathomechanism of IVIG treatment in patients with DIHS remains unknown, the therapeutic effects of IVIG could be dependent, in part, on functional capabilities of anti-virus IgG contained in IVIG. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.