The first kidney transplantation in an HIV positive recipient in Slovakia

Patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have long been considered unsuitable candidates for solid organ transplantation due to their poor prognosis. After the introduction of combination antiretroviral therapy, the survival of this group of patients improved significantly. HIV positive patients had been successfully transplanted for the last 18 years. HIV positive patients encounter very specific issues after transplantation, specifically related to drug interactions and higher rejection rates. Despite that, HIV positive patients have similar results to HIV negative patients post transplantation. We present the case of the first kidney transplantation in an HIV positive patient in Slovakia. The procedure was possible due to a change in legislation, as HIV positivity was an absolute contraindication for transplantation in Slovakia until October 2023. The aim of our case report is to draw attention to the possibility of kidney transplantation in an HIV positive patient and to the specific problems related to the preparation of an HIV positive patient for transplantation, post-transplant complications and the possibilities of their management (Fig. 6, Ref. 37). Keywords: kidney transplantation, HIV, human immunodeficiency virus, acute rejection, HAART, drug interaction.