Abstract
BackgroundEnd stage renal disease patients are at risk of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus (VRE) infections. The first reports of VRE isolation were from hemodialysis patients. However, to date, VRE fecal colonization rates as well as associated risk factors in kidney transplant patients have not yet been established in prospective studies.MethodsWe collected one or two stool samples from 280 kidney transplant patients and analysed the prevalence of VRE and its associated risk factors. Patients were evaluated according to the post-transplant period: group 1, less than 30 days after transplantation (102 patients), group 2, one to 6 months after transplantation (73 patients) and group 3, more than 6 months after transplantation (105 patients).ResultsThe overall prevalence rate of fecal VRE colonization was 13.6% (38/280), respectively 13.7% for Group 1, 15.1% for group 2 and 12.4% for group 3. E. faecium and E. faecalis comprised 50% of all VRE isolates. No immunologic variables were clearly correlated with VRE colonization and no infections related to VRE colonization were reported.ConclusionFecal VRE colonization rates in kidney transplant patients were as high as those reported for other high-risk groups, such as critical care and hemodialysis patients. This high rate of VRE colonization observed in kidney transplant recipients may have clinical relevance in infectious complications.
Highlights
End stage renal disease patients are at risk of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus (VRE) infections
One of the first descriptions of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus (VRE) was in patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) [2] and such patients seem susceptible to colonization
Kidney transplant patients may be prone to developing high rates of VRE colonization and infection due to frequent use of antibiotics, vancomycin both before and after transplantation
Summary
End stage renal disease patients are at risk of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus (VRE) infections. To date, VRE fecal colonization rates as well as associated risk factors in kidney transplant patients have not yet been established in prospective studies. One of the first descriptions of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus (VRE) was in patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) [2] and such patients seem susceptible to colonization. Kidney transplant patients may be prone to developing high rates of VRE colonization and infection due to frequent use of antibiotics, vancomycin both before and after transplantation. Kidney transplantation is the solid organ transplantation most frequently performed, little is known about prevalence and risk factors for fecal colonization by VRE among these patients
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