Variabilities of Salivary HHV-6/7, SIgA Levels, and POMS 2 Scores Over Two Weeks Following Long-term Restriction from Practice in Athletes

Background. Persistent physical fatigue (PPhF) is one of the most common issues in athletes; salivary human herpes virus 6 and/or 7 (HHV-6/7) have recently attracted attention as novel microbiological markers for its assessment. Objectives. We aimed to investigate potential variabilities of salivary HHV-6/7 levels in athletes, along with traditional assessments. Methods. We conducted an observational study over two weeks including 54 healthy male university athletes (n = 44) and non-athletes (n = 10). We used a questionnaire on daily life to monitor the participants’ states and habits. The main measures were salivary HHV-6/7 and secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA) levels, and total mood disturbance (TMD) scores in the Profile of Mood States. Results. In the questionnaire on daily life, subjective fatigue increased in the athletes (p < 0.05), while the health condition and daily habits did not change in either group (p > 0.05); accordingly, fatigue may be due to training-induced physical stressors rather than pathological events or changes in daily habits. Salivary HHV-6 levels increased only in the athletes after one week (p < 0.05), whereas salivary HHV-7 and SIgA levels, and TMD scores remained unchanged (p > 0.05). Conclusion. These findings suggested that salivary HHV-6 may be a more sensitive marker of PPhF than others.