Graft loss attributed to possible transfusion-transmitted ehrlichiosis following cord blood stem cell transplant

Allison Mah; George M Viola; Ella Ariza Heredia; Katayoun Rezvani; Partow Kebriaei; Micah M Bhatti; Xin Han; Elizabeth J Shpall; Victor E Mulanovich

doi:10.1111/tid.12899

Graft loss attributed to possible transfusion-transmitted ehrlichiosis following cord blood stem cell transplant

Transpl Infect Dis. 2018 Aug;20(4):e12899. doi: 10.1111/tid.12899. Epub 2018 May 7.

Authors

Allison Mah^{1

2}, George M Viola², Ella Ariza Heredia², Katayoun Rezvani³, Partow Kebriaei³, Micah M Bhatti⁴, Xin Han⁴, Elizabeth J Shpall³, Victor E Mulanovich²

Affiliations

¹ Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
² Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, Division of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
³ Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
⁴ Department of Laboratory Medicine, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.

PMID: 29668040
DOI: 10.1111/tid.12899

Abstract

We present a case of possible transfusion-transmitted Ehrlichia chaffeensis infection in a heavily transfused cord blood transplant recipient, resulting in severe infection and graft loss. Transfusion-transmitted, vector-borne infections in immunocompromised individuals can have severe consequences, and should be considered in hospitalized patients receiving blood products with unexplained fever or sepsis.

Keywords: Ehrlichia chaffeensis; blood banks; cord blood transplant; ehrlichiosis; sepsis.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Animals
Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
Antibiotic Prophylaxis
Blood Transfusion*
Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplantation / adverse effects*
Ehrlichia chaffeensis / isolation & purification*
Ehrlichiosis / blood
Ehrlichiosis / immunology
Ehrlichiosis / microbiology*
Ehrlichiosis / transmission
Female
Graft Rejection / immunology
Graft Rejection / microbiology*
Graft vs Host Disease / prevention & control
Humans
Immunocompromised Host
Immunosuppressive Agents / adverse effects
Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / surgery
Middle Aged
Tacrolimus
Transplantation Conditioning / adverse effects

Substances

Anti-Bacterial Agents
Immunosuppressive Agents
Tacrolimus