{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,12]],"date-time":"2026-06-12T10:57:37Z","timestamp":1781261857158,"version":"3.54.1"},"reference-count":42,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,12]],"date-time":"2026-06-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1781222400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ubon Ratchathani University","award":["UBU.0604.11-4\/2569"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UBU.0604.11-4\/2569"]}]},{"name":"Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ubon Ratchathani University","award":["UBU.0604.11-3\/2569"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UBU.0604.11-3\/2569"]}]},{"name":"Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ubon Ratchathani University","award":["UBU.0604.11-9\/2569"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UBU.0604.11-9\/2569"]}]},{"name":"Research, Innovation and Academic Service Fund of Ubon Ratchathani University"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Viruses"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Human Herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) is a neurotropic virus associated with lifelong latency and stress-induced reactivation. Its role in major depressive disorder (MDD) remains unclear. This study investigated the association between HHV-6 infection and MDD and evaluated interaction effects with psychosocial and clinical factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 2403 university students in Thailand, including 52 participants with physician-diagnosed MDD and 2351 healthy controls. HHV-6 DNA was detected by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) using saliva. Logistic regression and interaction analyses were performed. HHV-6 DNA was detected in 50.7% of participants. HHV-6 infection was not significantly associated with MDD (OR = 1.335, 95% CI: 0.766\u20132.328, p = 0.309). Multivariable analysis identified congenital disease, high-fat food consumption, stress, and depressive symptoms as independent predictors of MDD. Significant interaction effects were observed between HHV-6 and several factors. HHV-6 was not independently associated with MDD; however, exploratory interaction analyses identified potential relationships with selected psychosocial and host-related factors that require further validation.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/v18060665","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,12]],"date-time":"2026-06-12T09:49:51Z","timestamp":1781257791000},"page":"665","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Beyond Infection: The Interplay of Salivary Human Herpesvirus 6, Stress, and Host Factors in Major Depressive Disorder"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"18","author":[{"given":"Sunisa","family":"Srabuakam","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ubon Ratchathani University, Ubon Ratchathani 34190, Thailand"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Pitsupha","family":"Paladech","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ubon Ratchathani University, Ubon Ratchathani 34190, Thailand"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sutida","family":"Pongpakdeesakul","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ubon Ratchathani University, Ubon Ratchathani 34190, Thailand"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6187-9368","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sureewan","family":"Duangjit","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ubon Ratchathani University, Ubon Ratchathani 34190, Thailand"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1684-3814","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sureewan","family":"Bumrungthai","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Biopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ubon Ratchathani University, Ubon Ratchathani 34190, Thailand"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Chand, S.P., and Arif, H. 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