The incidence of infectious diseases after renal transplantation: a single-centre experience

Abstract

This single-centre study was designed to investigate the incidence of infections and their causative pathogens during the first three months after renal transplantation (RTx) in patients who had undergone the procedure in 2005 ( n = 174). We compared this group of patients with a previous one (1998–2000, n = 437). In 2005, infection was diagnosed in 82 patients (47%). Symptomatic lower urinary tract infection (UTI) was present in 43 patients (25%), pyelonephritis in 15 (8.6%), and urosepsis in 7 (4%). Wound infection developed in 21 patients (12%), cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease in 15 (8.6%), and pneumonia in 5 (3%). The most frequent pathogens in UTI were Klebsiella pneumoniae and Enterococcus faecalis. Pathogens of wound infection included Staphylococcus coagulase negative and K. pneumoniae. Pneumonia was frequently caused by Mycoplasma pneumophila. Compared with the previous group, we noted decreases in the total number of infections (77.7 vs. 47%, P < 0.001), pneumonia (8.5 vs. 3%, P < 0.02) and UTI (33.3 vs. 24.7%, P < 0.05). We observed an increased incidence of multiresistant Klebsiella. Based on these results, we have changed our scheme of antibiotic prophylaxis and the algorithms of antibiotic treatment. We reduced the use of antibiotics with an adverse epidemiological effect (quinolones, third-generation cephalosporins) and increased the use of relatively safe antibiotics (penicillins, aminopenicillins, with and without beta-lactam inhibitors).