Infectious Complications and Vaccinations in the Posttransplant Population

Infections remain a major cause of mortality and morbidity after both kidney and liver transplantation, and internists increasingly play a major role in diagnosing and treating these infections. Because of immunosuppression, solid organ transplant recipients do not often demonstrate classic signs and symptoms of infection and have a broader variety of common and opportunistic infections, many of which are generally more difficult to diagnose and treat. Although these patients have many risk factors for infection, a major determinant is the time after transplant as it relates to levels of immunosuppression, healing, and hospital or environmental exposures.