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Bacterial and fungal infections after kidney transplantation
1Department of Internal Medicine III, University of Vienna, Austria.
Abstract:
Infectious diseases in renal transplant recipients are a major issue both from the medical and from the economical point of view. The major risk factor is the immunosuppressive therapy. Infections observed during the first weeks after transplantation are not different from those observed in nonimmunosuppressed patients after surgery. Infections with opportunistic pathogens, however, emerge at the beginning of the second month and are mainly determined by the allograft function.
Insights
Infectious diseases pose significant medical and economic challenges for renal transplant recipients, largely due to immunosuppressive therapy. Opportunistic infections become prominent after the first month, influenced by kidney allograft function.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Transplantation Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Infectious diseases represent a significant challenge in renal transplant recipients, impacting both patient health and healthcare economics.
- Immunosuppressive therapy is the primary risk factor for infections following kidney transplantation.
- Early post-transplant infections resemble those in non-immunosuppressed surgical patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the temporal patterns and influencing factors of infections in renal transplant recipients.
- To differentiate between early post-surgical infections and later opportunistic infections.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of infection incidence and types in renal transplant recipients over time.
- Correlation of infection occurrence with immunosuppressive therapy and allograft function.
Main Results:
- Infections in the initial weeks post-transplantation are similar to post-surgical infections in non-immunosuppressed individuals.
- Opportunistic infections emerge around the second month after transplantation.
- Allograft function is a key determinant for the development of opportunistic infections.
Conclusions:
- The timing and nature of infections in renal transplant recipients are distinct.
- Immunosuppression and subsequent allograft function critically shape the infectious disease landscape post-transplant.