Viral Respiratory Infections in Hematological Patients

Abstract

Viral infections of the respiratory system represent one of the most important complications in hematological patients in terms of both the severity of the clinical picture and its related impact on the duration of hospitalization, and of mortality. The most implicated viruses are those that commonly cause community-based respiratory diseases: respiratory syncytial virus, Influenza virus and rhinovirus. However, in some cases the clinical picture may be triggered by first infection with or reactivation of pathogens normally not responsible for clinically relevant diseases in immunocompetent subjects. This issue is currently being taken into Enhanced Digital Features To view digital features for this article go to https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare. 12497915.

Early report on the severity of COVID‐19 in hematologic patients infected with the SARS‐CoV2 omicron variant

“… 25 Due to severe immunodeficiency, patients with hematologic disease are particularly susceptible to critical illness due to respiratory virus infection. 26 …”

“…Infection with respiratory viruses contributes to a significant fraction of respiratory disease mortality; however, outcomes are largely different between immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals 25 . Due to severe immunodeficiency, patients with hematologic disease are particularly susceptible to critical illness due to respiratory virus infection 26 …”

“…25 Due to severe immunodeficiency, patients with hematologic disease are particularly susceptible to critical illness due to respiratory virus infection. 26 Blood cancer patients are among the most vulnerable individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the introduction of systematic vaccination against SARS-CoV2, infection was fatal in about 18% of patients with hematologic malignancy, and ICU mortality exceeded 60% in this group.…”

Low incidence of non‐COVID‐19 community respiratory viral infections amongst adults with haematological malignancies during the COVID‐19 pandemic

“…Dear Editor, Community acquired respiratory viral infections (CA-RVIs) are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with haematological malignancies [1,2]. They are usually self-limiting in the immunocompetent individual but can be life threatening in the immunocompromised host [3,4].…”

Antiviral T-Cell Frequencies in a Healthy Population: Reference Values for Evaluating Antiviral Immune Cell Profiles in Immunocompromised Patients

“…JCV reactivation in transplant and non-transplant patients can result in life-threatening progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), with mortality rates of up to 71% [26][27][28]. Other herpesviruses like herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1), herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV2), and varicella-zoster virus (VZV), along with respiratory RNA viruses such as influenza A virus (IAV) and human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), expose immunocompromised individuals to a constant risk of severe and potentially life-threatening complications [29][30][31][32].…”