Infections in pediatric orthotopic heart transplant recipients

The infectious complications of 31 orthotopic heart transplants in 27 patients performed between 1982 and 1987 were reviewed. Fifteen patients (56%) are alive 704 to 1829 days posttransplantation. Five of the 27 patients died within the first week posttransplantation of noninfectious causes. Infection occurred in 17 of the remaining 22 patients and was the major cause of death in 3 of the 12 fatalities. There were 10 proved and 4 probable bacterial infections. Three of the 10 proved bacterial infections were cases of sepsis with focal complications (two Pseudomonas aeruginosa, one Serratia marcescens) resulting in 2 deaths. The cases of sepsis occurred within 12 days of transplantation. There were 11 viral infections. Cytomegalovirus accounted for 7 of these including 1 fatal and 2 nonfatal episodes of disseminated disease. The mean time of onset of cytomegalovirus infection was 33 days. Two cases of fungal disease were identified at autopsy. One additional patient who received intense immunosuppression because of chronic rejection developed Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. The most frequent site of infection was the lung with early pneumonias caused by Gram-negative bacteria and later episodes by viral (cytomegalovirus or respiratory syncytial virus) agents.