The Outcomes of Adenovirus Infection in Kidney Transplant Recipients

Adenovirus (ADV) infection can lead to significant morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients, particularly in those with hematopoietic stem cells or solid organ transplants. The incidence of ADV infection in kidney transplant (KT) is not well-defined as ADV is often asymptomatic and not routinely checked.

This retrospective case-series study included KT and simultaneous pancreas-KT (SPKT) recipients from January 1, 2008, to January 31, 2024, across three Mayo Clinic sites (Arizona, Florida, and Minnesota) with symptomatic adenovirus polymerase chain reaction cases. The primary outcomes were allograft function at various intervals post-ADV infection, allograft, and patient survival.

We report one of the largest multi-site case series regarding outcomes of ADV in KT with 17 patients. The median time to ADV infection was 30 weeks (5-74). Five patients (29%) developed disseminated infection. Nine patients (53%) of the entire cohort experienced graft loss within a median of 35 (4-168) weeks, with four (44%) of graft loss attributed to ADV. Nine patients (53%) developed rejections post-ADV infection with a median of 4 (2-8) weeks after resolution. One patient died from acute hypoxic respiratory failure from ADV infection.

ADV should be considered in KT/SPKT patients with renal dysfunction, hematuria, and with or without fever. Despite the low mortality rate, there is a significant risk of graft loss and rejection after ADV infection. It is crucial to screen for ADV and develop intervention strategies for treatment. Further multicenter studies are needed to better define, stage, and manage ADV infection.