Chronic hepatitis E in patients with CVID in Germany?

Cases of chronic hepatitis E have been described in solid organ transplant recipients and HIV infected patients. In addition, Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) infections may take prolonged or chronic courses in patients with malignancies or idiopathic CD4 (+) T lymphopenia. We studied, if chronic HEV infection occur in patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVID; n=73) in a low endemic Central European country. Of note, none of the subjects tested positive for HEV RNA or anti HEV IgG. Immunoglobulin transfusions (n=10) tested negative for HEV RNA but all were anti HEV positive. To verify that such pooled blood products contain anti HEV protective antibodies we measured the anti HEV IgG OD values before and after transfusion. Anti HEV OD values increased after infusion but did not reach the cut-off considered as positive. Thus, chronic courses of HEV infections seem to be rare events in patients with CVID in Germany. Commercially available immunoglobulin infusions contain anti HEV antibodies and may contribute to protection from HEV infection.

CVID - Hepatitis E