There are now 9 human herpesviruses; the increase from 8 to 9 was caused by a recent decision to split human herpesvirus (HHV) strains 6A and 6B into distinct species. The 9 species are subdivided into three subfamilies, called alpha: herpes simplex virus (HSV) types 1 and 2 and varicella-zoster virus (VZV); beta: cytomegalovirus (CMV), HHV6A, HHV6B and HHV7; gamma: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (sometimes called HHV8). These same herpesviruses have evolved with humankind around the world since the great migration of modern humans across the Mandeb Strait out of Africa around 60 to 100 thousand years ago(1). In the current report in this issue of Circulation, the authors sought to determine whether any of 5 herpesvirus infections-HSV1, HSV2, VZV, CMV or EBV-increased the risk of arterial ischemic stroke (AIS) in children 18 years of age or younger(2). They conclude that HSV1 infection and to a lesser extent VZV infection may act as triggers for childhood AIS. This Editorial will examine the biological plausibility of that assertion, based on both a literature review and the known pathogenesis of infection with HSV, VZV and also the live attenuated varicella vaccine virus.
Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science
1
8%
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
1
8%
Computer Science
1
8%
Economics, Econometrics and Finance
1
8%
Other
0
0%
Unknown
3
23%
Attention Score in Context
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 5. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 21 October 2022.
All research outputs
#10,744,297
of 34,566,597 outputs
Outputs from Circulation
#17,843
of 28,482 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#131,560
of 452,956 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Circulation
#118
of 158 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 34,566,597 research outputs across all sources so far. This one has received more attention than most of these and is in the 68th percentile.
So far Altmetric has tracked 28,482 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a lot more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 31.8. This one is in the 37th percentile – i.e., 37% of its peers scored the same or lower than it.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 452,956 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 70% of its contemporaries.
We're also able to compare this research output to 158 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one is in the 25th percentile – i.e., 25% of its contemporaries scored the same or lower than it.
