Infection with varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is common, occurring as primary varicella, usually during childhood, and as zoster, following reactivation of latent virus. Although serious VZV infections are infrequent, they can be life-threatening when they occur in susceptible immunosuppressed patients (1, 2). These patients have a high incidence of visceral involvement, including pneumonitis, meningoencephalitis, and rarely, hepatitis. We report here 3 cases of VZV hepatitis in adult liver transplant recipients that occurred in our institution between 1984 and 1989. We describe their clinical presentations and use these cases to illustrate some aspects in diagnosis and prevention of VZV infection after solid organ Tx.
Case 1A 19-year-old woman underwent orthotopic liver Tx for end-stage liver disease secondary to chronic active autoimmune hepatitis. She was receiving prednisone and azathioprine before the transplant operation. Her immunosuppression after Tx included cyclosporine (CSA) and steroids. At 28 days after her transplant operation, she started complaining of low back pain over the coccyx area, but the exam of this area did not reveal any skin lesions. Two days later she developed few skin vesicles on her face, abdomen, and hands. Laboratory examination showed elevation in LFTs with serum alanine aminotrahsferase (ALT) of 196 lU/L (normal value [nv] <40, lU/L), serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) of 221 IU/L (nv <40 IU/L) and bilirubin of 3.5 mg% (nv <1.0 mg/dl), and gamma GTP of 137 (nv <40 U/L). On day 33 after OLTx, her AST increased to 1057 lU/L and bilirubin increased to 4.7 mg/dl. Liver biopsy showed foci of coagulative necrosis with minimal mixed inflammatory cellular infiltrate and multinucleated cells, with negative histochemical stains for HSV 1 and HSV 2. The patient was started the same day on intravenous acyclovir at 10 mg/kg every 8 hr, but the following day she developed DIC and ARDS and expired 37 days after Tx. A blood buffy coat specimen was positive subsequently for VZV by culture. IgG antibody for VZV was negative on day 33 after OLTx by indirect fluorescence assay (IFA). No history of exposure to VZV was obtained.
Case 2A 33-year-old man underwent a liver and pancreas Tx for end-stage liver disease secondary to hepatitis B infection and hepatoma. Immunosuppression treatment included CSA and steroids. His spleen and pancreas and part of his colon, duodenum, and stomach were also Fig. 1) and nuclear inclusions were seen (Fig. 2), but histochemical stains were negative for HSV 1 and HSV 2. The patient's skin examination revealed vesicular lesions on the palmar aspect of his hands and also on his neck. He was placed on i.v. acyclovir at 10 mg/kg after each dialysis, and was also given a dose of VZIG. Buffy coat and vesicular skin lesions samples yielded VZV.He remained on a respirator, required hemodialysis, and developed bacterial and fungal abdominal sepsis secondary to leaks from the bowel. At 31 days after retransplantation he required distal pancreatectomy for pancreatic phlegmon...