Bacterial Infections After Kidney Transplantation: A Single-Center Experience

Background: Bacterial infections significantly affect graft loss and mortality after kidney transplantation (KT). We reviewed the frequencies, risk factors, and sources of bacterial infections after KT and their impact on graft and patient survivals.

Methods: The data of 154 kidney recipients who underwent transplantation from 2010 to 2015 were explored. Donor, recipient, and surgical parameters were collected, and source, type, and frequency of infectious complications, number of infective episodes, multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria, and the bacterial spectrum were established.

Results: The most common infection was urinary tract infection, which is in line with the literature. Out of the 154 recipients, 72.1% (n = 111) had at least 1 occasion of a bacterial infection episode with clinical symptoms. It occurred 0-43 months (mean, 19.5 mo) after transplantation. Ninety-three KT recipients (67.9%) developed 274 episodes of infection in the postoperative 1st year (1.8 episodes/patient/y), and 42 patients had admission to the hospital ward (5.2 d/patient/y). MDR was detected in 19.8% of the infections.

Conclusions: A bacterial infection had no significant impact on survival by itself. However, in case of sepsis graft and patient survivals were lower compared with normal control subjects.