A Fatal Breakthrough COVID-19 Case Following Bendamustine-Rituximab Therapy

Kohei Kamegai; Noriko Iwamoto; Tomiteru Togano; Kenji Maeda; Yuki Takamatsu; Yusuke Miyazato; Masahiro Ishikane; Masashi Mizokami; Masaya Sugiyama; Shun Iida; Sho Miyamoto; Tadaki Suzuki; Norio Ohmagari

International Journal of Infectious Diseases (Aug 2022)

A Fatal Breakthrough COVID-19 Case Following Bendamustine-Rituximab Therapy

Kohei Kamegai,
Noriko Iwamoto,
Tomiteru Togano,
Kenji Maeda,
Yuki Takamatsu,
Yusuke Miyazato,
Masahiro Ishikane,
Masashi Mizokami,
Masaya Sugiyama,
Shun Iida,
Sho Miyamoto,
Tadaki Suzuki,
Norio Ohmagari

Affiliations

Kohei Kamegai: National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
Noriko Iwamoto: National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan; Address for Correspondence, Noriko Iwamoto, M.D., Disease Control and Prevention Center, National Center for Global Health and Medicine 1-21-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8655, Japan. Tel: +81-3-3202-7181; Fax: +81-3-3207-1038.
Tomiteru Togano: National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
Kenji Maeda: National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Refractory Viral Infections, National Center for Global Health and Medicine Research Institute; Department of Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
Yuki Takamatsu: National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Refractory Viral Infections, National Center for Global Health and Medicine Research Institute; Department of Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
Yusuke Miyazato: National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
Masahiro Ishikane: National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
Masashi Mizokami: National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
Masaya Sugiyama: National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
Shun Iida: Department of Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
Sho Miyamoto: Department of Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
Tadaki Suzuki: Department of Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
Norio Ohmagari: National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 121
pp. 85 – 88

Abstract

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Although messenger ribonucleic acid vaccines are substantially effective toward SARS-CoV-2 infection, patients with hematologic malignancies are still prone to the virus. Herein, we report a fatal case of breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant infection in a patient with mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma with remission by bendamustine-rituximab (BR) therapy completed a year ago. The serologic study revealed impaired responsiveness toward vaccines and prolonged high viral load after infection. BR therapy seemingly induced an immune escape. Prevention and treatment strategies for such vulnerable patients should be clarified immediately.

Published in International Journal of Infectious Diseases

ISSN: 1201-9712 (Print); 1878-3511 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Netherlands
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Infectious and parasitic diseases
Website: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/international-journal-of-infectious-diseases/

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