Emerging Viral Infections

Emerging viral pathogens are a major cause of severe infections that constitute serious complications in patients with hematological disorders. During the last decade, a large number of viruses were discovered using optimized molecular techniques and systematic screening approaches. Most of the newly detected viruses affect the respiratory tract, causing common colds and also, especially in high-risk patients, life-threatening events. On the other hand, a substantial proportion of patients are reinfected by old viruses that were previously described only rarely or not at all in cancer patients. This chapter focuses on both emerging viruses and reemerging viral infections that affect patients with hematological malignancies.