Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant in HCV-infected patients

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of liver disease worldwide. After allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplant (HCT), HCV is known to be associated with transient hepatitis in the immediate post-transplant period, and a potential risk factor of veno-occlusive disease (SOS). Very recently, HCV-infected HCT recipients have been shown to be at higher risk of earlier cirrhosis, leading to greater morbidity and mortality. Long-term survivors after HCT are thus at a high risk for HCV-related complications and, as a consequence, the treatment of HCV infection becomes critical. We describe here the potential clinical complications in HCV-infected recipients, in the short, but also the long-term follow-up after HCT. The pathophysiology of liver fibrosis is discussed as well as the present recommended therapy in this particular population

Polyomaviruses KI and WU in Immunocompromised Patients with Respiratory Disease

Polyomaviruses KI (KIPyV) and WU (WUPyV) were recently identified, mainly in respiratory specimens from children. Among 200 patients with respiratory disorders admitted to Saint Louis Hospital, Paris, France, KIPyV was detected in 8% and WUPyV in 1%. KIPyV was significantly more frequent among human stem cell transplant patients (17.8% vs. 5.1%; p = 0.01)

Skin Microvascular Thrombosis in Fusarium Infection in Two Early Biopsied Cases

Fusarium species cause rare and severe infections. Their incidence is increasing in immunocompromised patients but they are also observed in healthy hosts. Because of the rapid dissemination of infection and the frequent resistance of Fusarium species to antifungal drugs, histopathologic evidence of hyphae is very helpful to obtain the diagnosis rapidly. We report the clinical and pathological features of two patients with initial cutaneous lesions. Cutaneous early biopsies showed microvessel involvement with hyphae and thrombosis. Fusarium infection was confirmed by skin culture. Hyphae within a microvessel thrombus in the skin were highly suggestive of disseminated fungal infection. These pathological features enabled to establish an early diagnosis and to start efficient antifungal treatment. In early cutaneous biopsies of immunocompromised patients, the presence of cutaneous vessel thrombosis can suggest a fungal infection and may help to start specific therapy without delay for these life-threatening infections

still a concern in patients with haematological malignancies and stem cell transplant recipients-authors' response

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Acquisition of Flucytosine, Azole, and Caspofungin Resistance in Candida glabrata Bloodstream Isolates Serially Obtained from a Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Recipient ▿ †

We describe the acquisition of flucytosine, azole, and caspofungin resistance in sequential Candida glabrata bloodstream isolates collected from a bone marrow transplant patient with clinical failure. Point mutations in C. glabrata FUR1 (CgFUR1) and CgFKS2 and overexpression of CgCDR1 and CgCDR2 were observed in resistant isolates

Comparison of PCR-Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay and Real-Time PCR Assay for Diagnosis of an Unusual Case of Cerebral Toxoplasmosis in a Stem Cell Transplant Recipient

A PCR-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and a real-time PCR assay were compared for diagnosis and follow-up of cerebral toxoplasmosis in a stem cell transplant recipient. The sensitivity of detection was similar for both assays but was higher when the assays were performed on buffy coat rather than on whole blood or serum

Cost effectiveness of posaconazole in the prophylaxis of invasive fungal infections in acute leukaemia patients for the French healthcare system.

International audienceBACKGROUND: Acute myeloblastic leukaemia (AML) patients are at high risk of suffering from invasive fungal infections (IFI). Posaconazole demonstrated higher efficacy than standard azole agents (SAA) in the prophylaxis of IFI in this population. The authors estimated the cost effectiveness of posaconazole versus SAA in France. METHODS: A decision-tree model was developed to compare posaconazole with SAA with the results of a published clinical trial. Clinical events were modelled with chance nodes reflecting probabilities of IFI, IFI-related death, and death from other causes. Medical resource consumption and costs were obtained from results of the clinical trial and from a dedicated survey on the costs of treating IFI using a retrospective chart review design. RESULTS: IFI treatment costs were estimated using medical files from 50 AML patients from six French centres, with a proven and probable IFI, who had been followed-up for 298 days on average. Direct costs directly related to IFI were estimated at €51,033, including extra costs of index hospitalisation, costs of antifungal therapy and additional hospitalisations related to IFI treatment. The model indicated that the healthcare costs for the posaconazole strategy were €5,223 (€2,697 for prophylaxis and €2,526 for IFI management), which was €859 less than the €6,083 in costs with SAA (€469 for prophylaxis and €5614 for IFI management). A sensitivity analysis indicated that there was an 80% probability that prophylaxis using the posaconazole strategy would be superior. CONCLUSION: The findings from this analysis suggest that posaconazole use is a clinically and economically dominant strategy in the prophylaxis of IFI in AML patients, given the usual limits of economic models and the uncertainty of costs estimates