Hepatitis E Virus Infection in Cancer Patients

Abstract

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection in immunocompetent patients can lead to chronic hepatitis and liver failure. However, the burden of HEV infection in cancer patients is largely unknown. We studied the characteristics of HEV infection in patients at a tertiary care cancer center in the United States. This retrospective study included adult cancer patients with HEV infection diagnosed between September 2011 to September 2021. A total of 405 patients were tested for HEV, and 63 (16%) had detectable HEV IgG. Thirty-three patients (52%) were male, 43 were born in America (68%), 46 (73%) were screened for HEV because of pre-existing liver conditions, and 22 (35%) had hematological malignancies. Only 2 patients had detectable HEV RNA. The first patient had myelodysplastic syndrome and underwent allogeneic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). He developed elevated liver enzymes with HEV RNA 14,000 IU/mL (4.2 log IU/mL) 13 months after HSCT. After reducing immunosuppression, his HEV viremia resolved. The second patient had diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and underwent anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy. She had elevated liver enzymes with HEV RNA 4,560,000 IU/mL (6.7 log IU/mL) 12 months after CAR T-cell therapy. She developed chronic HEV infection, and ribavirin treatment failed. Now she is being considered for salvage treatment with peginterferon alfa-2a and ribavirin. This study is the first report of chronic HEV infection in patients who received CAR T-cell therapy. HEV infection in cancer patients appears to be at least as common as in the general population. Cancer patients with hematologic malignancies may be at risk for HEV viremia and chronic infection refractory to antiviral treatment.

Keywords: Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy; Hematologic malignancies; Hepatitis E; Ribavirin; Stem cell transplantation.