Expert Group Opinion for Endemic Bacterial Infections in South Asia in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients - Typhoid, Paratyphoid, Leptospirosis, Scrub Typhus, and Melioidosis

Abstract

Typhoid, paratyphoid, leptospirosis, scrub typhus, and melioidosis are some of the common bacterial infections which are endemic in the region of South Asia. Typhoid and paratyphoid cause enteric fever which is a common cause of fever in the general population in this region. It is caused by Salmonella through contaminated food and water. Enteric fever is one of the most common causes of fever in travelers in this region. Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease caused by Leptospira and occurs due to direct contact with animals like or through abraded skin after the monsoon in the endemic area. Fever and jaundice are the most common presentations. Scrub typhus is caused by mite Orientia tsutsugamushi and it has now emerged as one of the most common causes of pyrexia in this region. Melioidosis is an uncommon infection caused by the bacteria Burkholderia pseudomalle, which is endemic in some regions of South Asia and is usually seen in immunocompromised individuals. Melioidosis is often called great mimicker due to a variety of clinical manifestations which might confuse it with other diseases. All these infections can cause fever or other systemic complications involving various organs in transplant recipients, so they should be kept as part of differential diagnosis of pyrexia in transplant recipients. There are no recommendations to screen for these infections in transplant candidates or donors, however, transplant candidates or donors with fever should be investigated for these infections and transplant should be deferred until full recovery and for some time thereafter.