scholarly journals Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis after COVID-19 vaccination

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Liang V. Tang ◽  
Yu Hu

AbstractCases of thrombotic thrombocytopenia induced by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines have been reported recently. Herein, we describe the first case of another critical disorder, hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), in a healthy individual after COVID-19 vaccination. A 43-year-old Chinese farmer developed malaise, vomiting, and persistent high fever (up to 39.7 °C) shortly after receiving the first dose of the inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. The initial evaluation showed pancytopenia (neutrophil count, 0.70 × 109/L; hemoglobin, 113 g/L; platelet, 27 × 109/L), elevated triglyceride (2.43 mmol/L), and decreased fibrinogen (1.41 g/L). Further tests showed high serum ferritin levels (8140.4 μg/L), low NK cell cytotoxicity (50.13%–60.83%), and positive tests for Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) DNA. Hemophagocytosis was observed in the bone marrow. Therefore, HLH was confirmed, and dexamethasone acetate (10 mg/day) was immediately prescribed without etoposide. Signs and abnormal laboratory results resolved gradually, and the patient was discharged. HLH is a life-threatening hyperinflammatory syndrome caused by aberrantly activated macrophages and cytotoxic T cells, which may rapidly progress to terminal multiple organ failure. In this case, HLH was induced by the COVID-19 vaccination immuno-stimulation on a chronic EBV infection background. This report indicates that it is crucial to exclude the presence of active EBV infection or other common viruses before COVID-19 vaccination.

Author(s):  
Alison Towerman ◽  
David Wilson ◽  
Monica Hulbert

Sickle hepatopathy comprises a spectrum of disorders that vary in severity. Intravascular sickling and sinusoidal occlusion are the principal drivers of sickle hepatopathy, but infection or autoimmunity may act as triggers. We describe two cases of acute sickle hepatopathy initiated by primary Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, a previously unreported association. The first case entailed a 14-year-old girl with hemoglobin SC (HbSC) disease who developed hepatic sequestration crisis that responded to a simple transfusion of erythrocytes. The second case was that of a 16-year-old boy with HbSC disease who experienced life-threatening intrahepatic cholestasis with multi-organ failure.


2004 ◽  
Vol 78 (4) ◽  
pp. 1665-1674 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takashi Nakayama ◽  
Kunio Hieshima ◽  
Daisuke Nagakubo ◽  
Emiko Sato ◽  
Masahiro Nakayama ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Chemokines are likely to play important roles in the pathophysiology of diseases associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Here, we have analyzed the repertoire of chemokines expressed by EBV-infected B cells. EBV infection of B cells induced expression of TARC/CCL17 and MDC/CCL22, which are known to attract Th2 cells and regulatory T cells via CCR4, and also upregulated constitutive expression of MIP-1α/CCL3, MIP-1β/CCL4, and RANTES/CCL5, which are known to attract Th1 cells and cytotoxic T cells via CCR5. Accordingly, EBV-immortalized B cells secreted these chemokines, especially CCL3, CCL4, and CCL22, in large quantities. EBV infection or stable expression of LMP1 also induced CCL17 and CCL22 in a B-cell line, BJAB. The inhibitors of the TRAF/NF-κB pathway (BAY11-7082) and the p38/ATF2 pathway (SB202190) selectively suppressed the expression of CCL17 and CCL22 in EBV-immortalized B cells and BJAB-LMP1. Consistently, transient-transfection assays using CCL22 promoter-reporter constructs demonstrated that two NF-κB sites and a single AP-1 site were involved in the activation of the CCL22 promoter by LMP1. Finally, serum CCL22 levels were significantly elevated in infectious mononucleosis. Collectively, LMP1 induces CCL17 and CCL22 in EBV-infected B cells via activation of NF-κB and probably ATF2. Production of CCL17 and CCL22, which attract Th2 and regulatory T cells, may help EBV-infected B cells evade immune surveillance by Th1 cells. However, the concomitant production of CCL3, CCL4, and CCL5 by EBV-infected B cells may eventually attract Th1 cells and cytotoxic T cells, leading to elimination of EBV-infected B cells at latency III and to selection of those with limited expression of latent genes.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giorgio Berlot ◽  
Ariella Tomasini ◽  
Lorenzo Zandonà ◽  
Eugenio Leonardo ◽  
Rossana Bussani ◽  
...  

The authors describe the case of a young woman who developed a clinical pictures resembling a septic shock-related multiple organ dysfunction syndrome a couple of months after having been diagnosed suffering from a hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis associated with an infectious mononucleosis. Despite the aggressive treatment, which included antibiotics, vasopressors, IV immunoglobulins, and the use of an extracorporeal device aimed to remove mediators released both during sepsis and the cytokine storm determined by the hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, the patient died. At the autopsy, an extremely uncommon aggressive lymphoma of Epstein-Barr virus-positive T-lymphocytes with systemic involvement was discovered.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (23) ◽  
pp. 9314
Author(s):  
Chien-Chin Chen ◽  
Kung-Chao Chang ◽  
L Jeffrey Medeiros ◽  
Julia Yu-Yun Lee

Hydroa vacciniforme (HV) is a rare form of photosensitivity disorder in children and is frequently associated with Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) infection, whereas HV-like lymphoproliferative disorders (HVLPD) describe a spectrum of EBV-associated T-cell or natural killer (NK)-cell lymphoproliferations with HV-like cutaneous manifestations, including EBV-positive HV, atypical HV, and HV-like lymphoma. Classic HV occurs in childhood with papulovesicules on sun-exposed areas, which is usually induced by sunlight and ultraviolet irradiation, and mostly resolves by early adult life. Unlike classic HV, atypical or severe HV manifests itself as recurrent papulovesicular eruptions in sun-exposed and sun-protected areas associated occasionally with facial edema, fever, lymphadenopathy, oculomucosal lesions, gastrointestinal involvement, and hepatosplenomegaly. Notably, atypical or severe HV may progress to EBV-associated systemic T-cell or natural killer (NK)-cell lymphoma after a chronic course. Although rare in the United States and Europe, atypical or severe HV and HV-like lymphoma are predominantly reported in children from Asia and Latin America with high EBV DNA levels, low numbers of NK cells, and T cell clones in the blood. In comparison with the conservative treatment used for patients with classic HV, systemic therapy such as immunomodulatory agents is recommended as the first-line therapy for patients with atypical or severe HV. This review aims to provide an integrated overview of current evidence and knowledge of HV and HVLPD to elucidate the pathophysiology, practical issues, environmental factors, and the impact of EBV infection.


Blood ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 135 (11) ◽  
pp. 826-833 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pengpeng Liu ◽  
Xiangyu Pan ◽  
Chong Chen ◽  
Ting Niu ◽  
Xiao Shuai ◽  
...  

Abstract Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (EBV-HLH) is a life-threatening hyperinflammatory syndrome triggered by EBV infection. It often becomes relapsed or refractory (r/r), given that etoposide-based regimens cannot effectively clear the virus. r/r EBV-HLH is invariably lethal in adults without allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Here, we performed a retrospective analysis of 7 r/r EBV-HLH patients who were treated with nivolumab on a compassionate-use basis at West China Hospital. All 7 patients tolerated the treatment and 6 responded to it. Five of them achieved and remained in clinical complete remission with a median follow-up of 16 months (range, 11.4-18.9 months). Importantly, both plasma and cellular EBV-DNAs were completely eradicated in 4 patients. Single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis showed that HLH syndrome was associated with hyperactive monocytes/macrophages and ineffective CD8 T cells with a defective activation program. Nivolumab treatment expanded programmed death protein-1–positive T cells and restored the expression of HLH-associated degranulation and costimulatory genes in CD8 T cells. Our data suggest that nivolumab, as a monotherapy, provides a potential cure for r/r EBV-HLH, most likely by restoring a defective anti-EBV response.


2008 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 142-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
María R. López-Álvarez ◽  
María V. Martínez-Sánchez ◽  
María G. Salgado-Cecilia ◽  
José A. Campillo ◽  
Damian Heine-Suñer ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT We report the first case of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) induced by the monoclonal expansion of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-negative NK cells. Consanguinity of the patient's parents made it necessary to discard familial HLH in the patient and her sister with identical HLA markers and demonstrate that no cause other than the expansion of NK cells, which secrete high levels of gamma interferon, was inducing HLH in this patient.


Author(s):  
Qian Gao ◽  
Xiaowei Xin ◽  
Chun Zhao ◽  
Yujuan Wang ◽  
Wei Wang ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a severe and potentially deadly condition associated with extensive inflammation and immune activation. Cytokine adsorption may serve as a supportive treatment that can stabilize organ function in affected patients by reducing their circulating cytokines levels. To date, no descriptions of clinical experiences associated with the use of HA330-II column hemoadsorption for the treatment of HLH children have been published. CASE SUMMARY We describe a 11-year-old children with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated HLH combined with liver failure. She underwent HA330-II column hemoadsorption and chemotherapy, and developed a decreased inflammatory cytokines including interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, IL-10, and interferon (IFN)-γ. The patient’ condition and laboratory parameters gradually improved. CONCLUSION Hemoadsorption may play an important role in eliminating cytokines storm in children with Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis combined with liver failure and consequent multiple organ failure. Keywords: hemoadsorption; HA330-II column; Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis; Pediatric; Liver failure; Case report


2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 78
Author(s):  
Andreia Sofia Costa ◽  
Anusca Paixão ◽  
Henrique Santos ◽  
Fernando Salvador

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis is a rare, aggressive and life-threatening syndrome, characterized by an excessive immune activation. It is triggered by multiple stimuli, with infections having an important role. The most common infectious trigger is viral infection, particularly by Epstein-Barr virus. Coagulation disorders are common in hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and disseminated intravascular coagulation can be present in severe cases. We report a clinical case of Epstein-Barr virus-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, complicated with disseminated intravascular coagulation which evolved favorably with only supportive therapy and without specific treatment.


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