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[Infections caused by virus in 100 patients submitted to heart transplantation]
D E Uip1, V Amato Neto, T M Varejão Strabelli
1Divisão de Moléstias Infecciosas e Parasitárias e Instituto do Coração do Hospital das Clínicas--FMUSP, São Paulo, SP.
Insights
Viral infections, particularly cytomegalovirus reactivation, are common after heart transplantation. These infections often occur early post-surgery in immunosuppressed patients, highlighting the need for vigilant monitoring.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Transplantation Medicine
Purpose:
To analyse prevalence, clinical features and organ involvement in viral infections occuring after heart transplantation.
Methods:
One hundred consecutive heart transplantation patients were studied. The follow-up was three to 90 (mean 23.32 +/- 25.97) months. Viral infections were diagnosed using the Center for Disease Control criteria.
Results:
Viral infections were responsible for 51 infections, 19.6% of all infections in this patient population. Herpesvirus infection was the most common etiology: 32 (59.25%) of all viral infections were caused by reactivation of or reinfection by cytomegalovirus. Of those infections 27 (84.37%) occurred in the first three weeks following surgery. Only 4 (12.50%) of those showed clinical signs of cytomegalovirus disease. Other herpesvirus causing infections were herpes simplex and varicella-zoster virus.
Conclusion:
Infections are common after heart transplantation and viral infections of herpesviridae family are important causes of those infections; usually as reactivation in an immune suppressed patient. The most important viral infections were caused by reactivation of or reinfection by cytomegalovirus.