Hepatitis E-Induced Worsening of Antiphospholipid Syndrome With Extensive Thrombosis: A Case Report

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an autoimmune disease that can result in a wide range of thromboembolic events. We report on a young male who presented with abdominal pain and was found to have extensive splanchnic vein thrombosis (SVT). Incidentally, he tested positive for the following: hepatitis E virus (HEV) immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibody and antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL), including anticardiolipin and anti-beta2-glycoprotein antibodies. HEV-induced worsening of APS is not a commonly documented occurrence. Cases of APS related to infection may be more prevalent than we suspect and infectious workups in patients with a history of thrombotic events could help discover possible etiologies of acute exacerbations.