title: Chronic Hepatitis E Infection in a Persistently Immunosuppressed Patient Unable to Be Eliminated after Ribavirin Therapy.
abstract: Recent case reports have shown that hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection can cause chronic hepatitis in immunosuppressed or immunocompromised patients. A 37-year-old woman suffered from prolonged elevation of aminotransferases after chemotherapy for Burkitt's lymphoma and was diagnosed with chronic hepatitis E due to a transfusion during chemotherapy. After an 8-month administration of ribavirin, complete HEV clearance was not achieved, likely due to prolonged hypogammaglobulinemia. This case indicates that HEV infection should be ruled out during liver dysfunction in immunosuppressed or immunocompromised patients and suggests that an alternative therapeutic strategy for such patients will be needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Yokosuka Kyosai Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miyoshi
authors.forename: Sei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kakinuma
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tanabe
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ishii
authors.forename: Tian-Cheng
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Takaji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wakita
authors.forename: Yukio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tsuura
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Asahina
authors.forename: Mamoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Takaaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ikeda
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D012254:Ribavirin