[Infection in patients with organ transplants]

The past decade has seen substantial improvements both in patient and graft survival in organ transplantation. One-year survival rates among recipients of kidney, pancreas, liver, and lung transplants now reach 80-90 per cent. The impressive survival statistics notwithstanding, any organ transplantation is still associated with a variety of possible complications. Prominent among the causes of morbidity and morality is the occurrence of infection, primarily due to the intensive immunosuppression. The diagnosis and treatment of infections are thus of paramount importance to the success of a transplantation programme.