Post Renal Transplant Infections: A Six Month Follow-Up Study from a Kidney Transplant Institute of North India

Transplantation returns the majority of patients to an improved life-style and an improved life expectancy, as compared to patients on dialysis. Infections are the most prevalent cause of morbidity and mortality in kidney transplant recipients, with more than 80% suffering at least one episode of infection in the first year. The method of data collection in this study was prospective hospital record analysis, all renal transplant recipients were screened pre operatively for the presence of any overt or occult infection. The predominant age group undergoing renal transplantation was between 18 – 29 yrs. Urinary tract infections were the highest and commonest infections observed. The microorganisms involved in the infections were Bacteria (36.4%), Viruses (7.6%), Fungi (3.7%) and Parasites (5.5%). In Urinary tract infection, E. coli followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae were the predominant bacterial isolates. Candida albicans were the commonest fungi isolated. Among the Gastrointestinal tract infections, Cryptosporodium was the commonest Protozoal isolate. Cryptococcus neoformans was isolated in two cases of meningitis. In this study the organisms causing infection during the immediate operative period have been categorized, which will give the treating physician a reasonable idea to suspect the system and cause of infection during the particular post renal transplant period. This study has focused to evaluate the spectrum of infectious complications in post renal recipients in first 6 months of follow up and evaluate the most common type of infection.