PROSPECTIVE-STUDY OF RENAL-TRANSPLANT INFECTIONS IN 50 CONSECUTIVE PATIENTS

A prospective study of the frequency timing, etiology and risk factors of infections in renal transplant recipients during the first year af ter transplantation was conducted in 50 consecutive patients. Neither prophylaxis with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole nor antiviral prophylax is was administered. Two hundred twenty-eight episodes of infection we re registered (4.5 per patient), 19 of which were severe. Forty-seven percent of all infectious episodes occurred during the first two month s after transplantation. The more frequent infections were bacterial ( 64%), viral (22%) and fungal (11%). Escherichia coli was the most comm on agent isolated (n = 36), followed by cytomegalovirus (n = 32). Urin ary tract infections were most common (n = 144), especially asymptomat ic bacteriuria (n = 106). Surgical reintervention and the use of antil ymphocytic globulins were associated with a higher frequency of severe infections (p < 0.05), and invasive candidiasis was associated with a llograft loss (p < 0.03). Annual survival rates of patients and allogr afts were 100% and 94%, respectively. The frequency of mild infections was higher than that observed in other studies using bacterial or vir al prophylaxis. Nevertheless, the number of severe infections and the survival rates of patients and allografts were similar to those report ed in previous studies.