title: Viral infections after kidney transplantation.
abstract: Chronic immunosuppression, required to maintain allograft function postorgan transplant, predisposes transplant patients to a variety of viral infections. These can occur at every stage of post-transplantation. Some infections, however, such as cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein Barr virus (EBV), or BK virus (BKV), tend to occur within months after transplantation. CMV infections can be easily prevented by prophylaxis therapy whereas EVB or BKV infections can be prevented by lowering (when possible) immunosuppression. Some viral infections can result in posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorders (EBV), Kaposi sarcoma (human herpes simplex virus type 8), or skin and/or cervical cancers (papillomavirus). Other viral infections, such as those due to influenza or para influenzae viruses, respiratory syncytial virus, or West nile fever virus, are mostly acquired through environmental spread. Thanks to modern laboratory technique, and a formidable antiviral armamentarium, viral infections in organ transplant patients i) can be easily detected at early stages, and ii) can be efficiently treated.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Nephrology, Dialysis and Organ Translplantation, CHU Rangueil, Toulouse, France. rostaing.l@chu-toulouse.fr
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rostaing
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wéclawiak
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mengelle
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kamar
mesh_terms: D001739:BK Virus; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000209:etiology; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000209:etiology; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D010322:Parvoviridae Infections / Q000209:etiology; D027601:Polyomavirus Infections / Q000209:etiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology*; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000209:etiology; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000209:etiology; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000209:etiology*