Mycobacterial infection in renal transplant recipients

To determine the prevalence and presentation of mycobacterial infection as well as the influence on outcome in graft function and patient survival in renal transplant recipients at our institution.

A retrospective review of case records of all renal transplant recipients from 1980 to 1992.

Groote Schuur Hospital, a large teaching hospital and regional tertiary referral center in Cape Town, South Africa.

During the period reviewed, 857 transplants were performed. The records of 487 patients who had remained in Cape Town were examined.

There were 22 cases of mycobacterial infection (21 confirmed or presumed Mycobacterium tuberculosis and 1 unidentified Mycobacterium other than tuberculosis). In seven cases, immunosuppression had been intensified within 3 months of diagnosis. The median time from transplantation to diagnosis was 14 months (range, 2 to 74). Chest radiograph findings included consolidation (14), miliary pattern (4), pleural effusion (3), tuberculoma (2), cavitation (2), and hilar lymphadenopathy (1). Diagnosis of tuberculosis was made on sputum smears (eight), pleural biopsy specimen (two), fine-needle aspiration (one), and fiberoptic bronchoscopy in ten cases (brushings, eight; transbronchial biopsy specimen, three). Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (in addition to pulmonary tuberculosis) occurred in five patients (tuberculous meningitis, one; renal tuberculosis, one; and dissemminated infection, four). Five of the seven patients in whom immunosuppression had been intensified had concurrent infections; two of these died and the remainder returned to dialysis within 6 months. All but one patient received three antituberculosis drugs, including rifampin and isoniazid, for between 6 and 18 months. At the end of the period of review, 12 (59 percent) patients were alive, 10 with functioning grafts and 2 receiving dialysis. Four patients died while receiving antituberculosis treatment, but death was only directly related to tuberculosis in one case.

Tuberculosis is an important infection in renal transplant recipients in Cape Town, but disseminated disease is less common than reported elsewhere.