Graft-vs-Host Disease in a Liver Transplant Patient With COVID-19 Infection

Area of Science:

• Transplant medicine
• Immunology
• Infectious diseases

Background:

• Graft-vs-host disease (GVHD) is a rare but serious complication following liver transplantation.
• Limited treatment consensus exists due to GVHD's rarity.

Observation:

• A 49-year-old woman developed GVHD three months after a liver transplant.
• The GVHD onset coincided with a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection.

Findings:

• This case presents a unique instance of GVHD occurring concurrently with COVID-19 post-liver transplant.
• Early recognition and multidisciplinary care involving transplant hepatology and hematology are crucial for managing GVHD.

Implications:

• The co-occurrence of COVID-19 and GVHD warrants further investigation into a potential causal relationship.
• More research is needed to understand if COVID-19 infection increases the risk of developing GVHD after liver transplantation.