Astrovirus VA1/HMO encephalitis after allogeneic hematopoietic cell
transplantation: significant role of immune competence in virus control
Abstract
Neurotrophic human Astrovirus (HAstV) VA1/HMO can cause severe
encephalitis in immunocompromised patients. Advanced diagnostic tools
are often required for diagnosis. Previous studies have described cases
of acute HAstV VA1/HMO encephalitis that developed after allogeneic
hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) with a fatal outcome. Here, we
describe a rare case of a patient that survived severe progressive HAstV
VA1/HMO encephalitis following HCT. The halt in clinical deterioration
coincided with recovery of lymphoid competence, which indicated that the
neuroinvasive HAstV infection was controlled by the reconstituting
immune system.