Long and persistent COVID-19 in patients with hematologic malignancies: from bench to bedside

We describe the incidence, clinical characteristics, risk factors, and outcomes of persistent COVID-19 infection in patients with hematologic malignancies. Recent findings The syndrome of persistent COVID-19 in patients with hematologic malignancies manifests as a chronic protracted illness marked by waxing and waning or progressive respiratory symptoms and prolonged viral shedding. Immunosuppressed patients with lymphoid malignancies may serve as partially immune reservoirs for the generation of immune-evasive viral escape mutants. Summary Persistent COVID-19 infection is a unique concern in patients with hematologic malignancies. While vaccination against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has reduced the overall burden of COVID-19 in patients with hematologic cancers, whether vaccination or other novel treatments for COVID-19 prevent or alleviate this syndrome remains to be determined.
Source: Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases - Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: INFECTIONS OF THE IMMUNOCOMPROMISED HOST: Edited by Genovefa A. Papanicolaou and Dionysios Neofytos Source Type: research