Fatal course of an autochthonous hepatitis E virus infection in a patient with leukemia in Germany

• DOI: 10.1007/s15010-011-0220-7
• Publication Date: 2011-11-16T09:54:31Z
• Authors: S. Pfefferle; H. Frickmann; M. Gabriel; N. Schmitz; S. Günther; J. Schmidt-Chanasit
• Keywords: Male; 0301 basic medicine; 03 medical and health sciences; Fatal Outcome; Germany; Lymphocyte Transfusion; Acute Disease; Humans; Middle Aged; Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell; Hepatitis E; 3. Good health

An acute infection with hepatitis E virus (HEV) genotype 3 subtype c was diagnosed in a patient with chronic lymphatic B-cell leukemia 6 weeks after the infusion of donor lymphocytes. Despite intensive care the patient died 39 days after admission due to pericardial effusion that was related to acute liver failure. We suggest that diagnostic procedures for detection of HEV infection should be seriously considered for the immunocompromised patient with elevated liver enzymes in the absence of a travel history to HEV endemic countries.