An international squad of researchers successfully recovered ancient genomes of herpesviruses HHV-6A and HHV-6B for the first time from biological specimens older than two millennia. The study, published in the journal Science Advances, indicates that these viruses evolved concurrently with human development, starting from the Iron Age.
The HHV-6B virus infects roughly 90% of children within their initial two years, causing the condition known as roseola infantum. Both viruses are capable of remaining dormant within the body.
A primary characteristic of the HHV-6 virus is its capacity to insert itself into human chromosomes and be infrequently inherited. The analysis of over 4000 ancient DNA samples made it possible to reconstruct 11 HHV-6 viral genomes discovered in archaeological findings from Italy, England, Belgium, Estonia, and early medieval Rus.
A comparative review of the ancient and contemporary genomes revealed that the HHV-6B virus retained the capability for integration into the human genome, whereas the HHV-6A virus lost this potential. This finding suggests differing evolutionary trajectories for these viral agents.
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