In this E-Learning module, the author elaborates on viral infections in patients with cancer by providing useful considerations for clinical practice, especially by covering different aspects relevant for immunocompromised individuals.
The author starts the module by providing a list of viruses important for differential diagnoses in immunocompromised patients. This is followed by a list of therapies that increase the risk of severe viral infections, those with moderate risk, as well as therapies with no expected effect.
The author advises, in terms of time, for the greatest risk of severe viral infections in patients with underlying malignant disease and also emphasises that antiviral prophylaxis and vaccination are effective interventions in the prevention of severe viral infections.
The following chapter is dedicated to providing tips for practice with regard to different viruses, extensively elaborating on cytomegalovirus (CMV) from the aspects of effect of recipient CMV seropositivity on survival after haematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) and factors that negatively influence on survival, prophylaxis, monitoring and pre-emptive therapy, resistant/refractory CMV infection, as well CMV in other patients than allogenic HCT recipients.
It follows a part that extensively elaborates on classic and visceral varicella-zoster therapy, antiviral prophylaxis and vaccination as well as prophylaxis, resistance, standard and new therapy in case of herpes simplex virus.
One chapter covers various issues in terms of infection, infection control, vaccination and management of community acquired respiratory viruses, particularly influenza A and B, respiratory syncytial virus, metapneumovirus, parainfluenza viruses, adenoviruses, rhinoviruses, and other coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2.
The author also emphasises that hepatitis E virus (HEV) can be transmitted by blood products and causes chronic persisting infection in immunosuppressed individuals, resulting in rapid progression to cirrhosis and liver failure. The author also elaborates on the treatment for HEV.
The author underlines the importance to be aware of virus changes due to climate changes; many, like dengue, chikungunya, Zika, the West-Nile virus, the Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus are carried by mosquitoes or ticks and for some few or no therapies exist, while vaccines exist for others.
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Financial Interests:
Invited Speaker, Personal, EBMT 2024: MSD.
Invited Speaker, Institutional, Several meetings during the last years: MSD.
Advisory Board, Personal, Letermovir May 2024: MSD.
Advisory Board, Institutional, Vaccine: Moderna.
Advisory Board, Institutional, RSV monoclonals: AstraZeneca.
Invited Speaker, Personal, Infections: Pfizer.
Invited Speaker, Personal, Speaker at a meeting about aplastic anaemia: SOBI.
Invited Speaker, Personal, Speaker at meeting at University Hospital Bergen, Norway, about infections in general: Incyte.
Officer, Personal, Chair registry committee: EBMT.
Other, Personal, Disease review commitee clinical trials: MSD.
Local PI, Institutional, Clinical trial of vedulizumumab: Takeda.
Other, Institutional, Clinical trial about virus specific T cells. National coordinating investigator: AlloVir.
Local PI, Institutional, Vaccine clinical trial: MSD.
Other, Personal, DSMB chair: OctaPharma.
Other, Personal, DSMB member : Blueprint pharmaceuticals.
