INFECTIONS AND IMMUNIZATIONS IN ORGAN TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS - A PREVENTIVE APPROACH

Immunization remains a cornerstone of preventive practice, but the sub optimal response to vaccinations in patients receiving immunosuppressi ve therapy presents an ongoing challenge. More work is needed to deter mine which of the numerous strategies for preventing symptomatic cytom egalovirus infection is most effective and economical, and under which circumstances. Prevention of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia remains a n important issue, especially in sulfa-intolerant patients. The relati onship between different immunosuppressive programs and occurrence of infectious complications such as lymphoproliferative disease is just b eginning to be understood. The toxicity of amphotericin B in this popu lation has led to a search for more effective means of preventing and treating fungal infections. Finally, a new set of possible pathogens ( such as the recently recognized human herpesvirus-6) is on the horizon .