Abstract
Background: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is an important infection in renal transplant recipients and may significantly impact recipients’ long-term outcome and graft survival. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the benefit of prophylaxis with acyclovir on post-transplant CMV infection prevention in a population of renal transplant recipients in Lagos, Nigeria. Subjects and Methods: The study was a cross-sectional design involving renal transplant recipients attending post-transplant follow-up clinics in Lagos, Nigeria between October 2004 and July 2005. Data on the use of CMV prophylaxis were obtained from the hospital case records of the study subjects. Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) was employed to detect CMV IgM antibodies for the diagnosis of post-transplant CMV infection and Microsoft Excel and EPI-Info 2002 statistical software were used for data entry and analysis. Results: Forty (40) renal transplant recipients were studied, 32 recipients were males and 8 were females with M:F ratio of 4:1. The mean age of the recipients was 39 ± 11.6 years old. The recipients’ post-transplant duration ranged from 2 to 80 months (Mean 17.6 ± 18.6 months). Fifteen (37.5%) of the transplant recipients received acyclovir prophylaxis for six months, one recipient (2.5%) received ganciclovir prophylaxis for three weeks while 24 recipients (60%) received no prophylactic therapy. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of seropositive CMV-IgM between transplant recipients who used CMV prophylaxis and those who did not (Fisher exact p = 0.45). Conclusion: Prophylaxis with acyclovir for six months showed no significant benefit on post-transplant CMV infection prevention in renal transplant recipients.
Highlights
The advent of renal transplantation almost seven decades ago provided the best opportunity for returning to healthy and productive life for patients with end-stage renal disease [1]
This study aimed to evaluate the benefit of prophylaxis with acyclovir on post-transplant CMV infection prevention in a population of renal transplant recipients in Lagos, Nigeria
In terms of age group distribution of transplant recipients, 2 recipients were less than 20 years old; 18 recipients were in the age group of 21 - 40 years old and 20 recipients were in the age group of 41 - 60 years old (Figure 2)
Summary
The advent of renal transplantation almost seven decades ago provided the best opportunity for returning to healthy and productive life for patients with end-stage renal disease [1]. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is an important infection in renal transplant recipients [3] [4] [5]. Cytomegalovirus infection can occur later in the first year of transplant after the cessation of antiviral prophylaxis [9] [10]. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is an important infection in renal transplant recipients and may significantly impact recipients’ long-term outcome and graft survival. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the benefit of prophylaxis with acyclovir on post-transplant CMV infection prevention in a population of renal transplant recipients in Lagos, Nigeria. Subjects and Methods: The study was a cross-sectional design involving renal transplant recipients attending post-transplant follow-up clinics in Lagos, Nigeria between October 2004 and July 2005. Conclusion: Prophylaxis with acyclovir for six months showed no significant benefit on post-transplant CMV infection prevention in renal transplant recipients
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