Solid organ transplantation in HIV-infected recipients

HIV is generally regarded as an acceptable reason to exclude a potential recipient from consideration for transplantation. Most of the data in the literature regarding transplantation of HIV sero-positive individuals pertains to the time prior to the administration of Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy (pre-HAART). This data, therefore, provides little guidance for the management of HIV-positive individuals in the current era. The development of HAART has resulted in a decreased mortality. With prolonged survival more HIV-infected individual are developing end stage organ disease from co-existing conditions such as HCV and HBV, and diseases common in the general population such as diabetes mellitus and hypertension. This has lead to clinicians, researchers and patients to actively investigate the role of solid organ transplantation in HIV-infected individuals. In this article We review the literature to date in liver and renal transplantation, including more recent data in patients receiving HAART.