scholarly journals 310. Cryptococcal Infection Following COVID-19 infection in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients: A Case Series

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S261-S261
Author(s):  
Jeremey Walker ◽  
Peter Pappas ◽  
Lauren Nicholas Herrera ◽  
Cameron White ◽  
Anoma Nellore ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Fungal infections have been identified with or following SARS-CoV-2 infection, most commonly COVID associated pulmonary aspergillosis. Cryptococcus species are ubiquitous in the environment and the third most common invasive fungal infection following Solid Organ Transplant (SOT). We describe four cases of concurrent or subsequent cryptococcal infection within 90 days following COVID-19 infection. Methods We conducted a retrospective study of patients presenting with proven cryptococcosis either concurrently or within 90 days following COVID-19 diagnosis. Cases were identified March 2020 through May 2021. All were seen at the University of Alabama in Birmingham, a regional referral and comprehensive transplant center. Exemption for this review was approved by our IRB. Results Four cases were identified, all were SOT recipients. Case details are provided in Table 1. No patients required ICU level care at any point. COVID-19 treatment included 10 days of increased steroids for 3 patients, remdesivir for 2, and 1 received no treatment for COVID-19. In contrast to the typical time-course for cryptococcal infection post-SOT (median time approx. 500 days post-transplant), three patients were greater than 2 years post-transplant and were without rejection or recent changes in immunosuppression. Patient 1 was less than 6 months post liver-kidney transplant and was diagnosed at time of admission with concurrent COVID-19 and cryptococcal pneumonia. Infection was disseminated in the other 3 cases including positive blood cultures in 2 patients and cryptococcal meningitis (CM) in 2 patients. CM cases presented later following COVID-19 and had the longest delay between symptom onset (headache, neurologic symptoms) and CM diagnosis. One patient had CM 8 years prior, but had done extremely well off fluconazole for over 6 years prior to this recurrence. All patients are doing well at most recent follow-up evaluations. Table 1. Summary of Cases Conclusion We describe the first case series with a temporal association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and cryptococcosis. All cases were immunocompromised due to SOT. Some symptoms were attributed to post-COVID syndrome leading to significant delays in diagnosis for those patietns, highlighting the importance of considering this association for at-risk patients. Disclosures Todd P. McCarty, MD, Cidara (Grant/Research Support)GenMark (Grant/Research Support, Other Financial or Material Support, Honoraria for Research Presentation)T2 Biosystems (Consultant)

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S1-S1
Author(s):  
T Kitano ◽  
M Science ◽  
N Nalli ◽  
K Timberlake ◽  
U Allen ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Solid-organ transplant (SOT) patients are more vulnerable to infections by antimicrobial-resistant organisms (AROs) because of their hospital exposure, compromised immune systems, and antimicrobial exposure. Therefore, it may be useful for transplant facilities to create transplant-specific antibiograms to direct empirical antimicrobial regimens and monitor trends in antimicrobial resistance. Methods SOT (i.e., lung, liver, renal, and heart) antibiograms were created using antimicrobial susceptibility data on isolates from 2012 to 2018 at The Hospital for Sick Children, a tertiary pediatric hospital and transplant center in Toronto, Ontario. The Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines were followed to generate the antibiograms. The first clinical isolate of a species from a patient in each year was included irrespective of body site; duplicates were eliminated and surveillance cultures were excluded. Results from 2 years of data were pooled on a rolling basis to achieve an adequate sample size in both SOT and hospital-wide antibiogram. The SOT antibiogram was then compared with the hospital-wide antibiogram of the compatible 2 pooled years from 2012 to 2018. For subgroup analyses in the SOT population, organ-specific antibiograms and transplant timing-specific antibiograms (pretransplant, post-transplant <1 year, and post-transplant ≥1 year) between transplant and sample collection dates were analyzed. All proportions were compared using the χ 2 test. Results The top 5 organisms in one (2 year) analysis period of the SOT antibiogram were Escherichia coli (n = 29), Staphylococcus aureus (n = 28), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 20), Enterobacter cloacae complex (n = 18), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 17). For E.coli, susceptibility in the SOT antibiogram was significantly lower than those in the hospital-wide antibiogram in 2017/2018 for ampicillin (27% vs. 48%; P = 0.015), piperacillin/tazobactam (55% vs. 87%; P < 0.001), cefotaxime (59% vs. 88%; P < 0.001), ciprofloxacin (71% vs. 87%; P = 0.007) and cotrimoxazole (41% vs. 69%; P < 0.001), but not significantly different for gentamicin (94% vs. 91%; P = 0.490), tobramycin (88% vs. 90%; P = 0.701) and amikacin (100% vs. 99%; P = 0.558). These findings were consistent throughout the study period in E.coli. There was no statistically significant difference between the SOT and hospital-wide antibiograms for other organisms. There were no significant differences in susceptibility between organ-specific antibiograms or transplant timing-specific antibiograms in 2012–2018. Conclusions We found that E.coli from the SOT population had a significantly lower sensitivity to all antimicrobials, except aminoglycosides, compared with those from the hospital-wide population. Other organisms had similar susceptibility to the hospital-wide population. Developing a SOT antibiogram will assist in revising and improving empiric treatment guidelines for this population.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 327
Author(s):  
Nipat Chuleerarux ◽  
Achitpol Thongkam ◽  
Kasama Manothummetha ◽  
Saman Nematollahi ◽  
Veronica Dioverti-Prono ◽  
...  

Background: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and invasive aspergillosis (IA) cause high morbidity and mortality in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. There are conflicting data with respect to the impact of CMV on IA development in SOT recipients. Methods: A literature search was conducted from existence through to 2 April 2021 using MEDLINE, Embase, and ISI Web of Science databases. This review contained observational studies including cross-sectional, prospective cohort, retrospective cohort, and case-control studies that reported SOT recipients with post-transplant CMV (exposure) and without post-transplant CMV (non-exposure) who developed or did not develop subsequent IA. A random-effects model was used to calculate the pooled effect estimate. Results: A total of 16 studies were included for systematic review and meta-analysis. There were 5437 SOT patients included in the study, with 449 SOT recipients developing post-transplant IA. Post-transplant CMV significantly increased the risk of subsequent IA with pORs of 3.31 (2.34, 4.69), I2 = 30%. Subgroup analyses showed that CMV increased the risk of IA development regardless of the study period (before and after 2003), types of organ transplantation (intra-thoracic and intra-abdominal transplantation), and timing after transplant (early vs. late IA development). Further analyses by CMV definitions showed CMV disease/syndrome increased the risk of IA development, but asymptomatic CMV viremia/infection did not increase the risk of IA. Conclusions: Post-transplant CMV, particularly CMV disease/syndrome, significantly increased the risks of IA, which highlights the importance of CMV prevention strategies in SOT recipients. Further studies are needed to understand the impact of programmatic fungal surveillance or antifungal prophylaxis to prevent this fungal-after-viral phenomenon.


2021 ◽  
Vol 34 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam Frankel ◽  
Trina Keller ◽  
Syeda Farah Zahir ◽  
David Gotley

Abstract   Lung allografts have the shortest survival of any solid organ transplant. The leading cause of chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) is bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS). The aetiology of BOS remains poorly understood, with infections, immunosuppression and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) amongst the proposed co-factors. A recent systematic review of GORD and BOS examined six retrospective case series with relatively small numbers and conflicting results. Our dataset is the largest cohort reported to date. Methods Retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database containing 149 consecutive lung transplant recipients undergoing laparoscopic Toupet fundoplication. A single expert surgeon (>5000 procedures) with published high-quality long-term outcomes in the non-transplant population did the operations. All were referred with symptoms of GORD and/or positive 24-hour ambulatory pH study. FEV1 was measured at three time points before (6, 3 and 1 month) and after (3, 6 and 12 months) surgery. Data were analysed using random intercept generalised linear (mixed) models to examine changes in FEV1 across time, as well as graphical methods (least squares method for FEV1 trendlines and two-tailed t-test). Results Median age was 56 (IQR 44–66) years; 84/149 were male. 132 had bilateral sequential single lung transplantation. The underlying pathologies were representative—emphysema, cystic fibrosis, interstitial lung disease. 8 patients died within 6 months of fundoplication. Using a linear mixed model there was no significant change in FEV1 across time after surgery compared with the last pre-operative measurement (p = 0.48). A significant reduction in FEV1 was seen in those undergoing fundoplication after CLAD was diagnosed (1.47 L, 95% CI 1.21–1.72, p < 0.001). There was no change in trajectory of FEV1 when trendlines for each patient were analysed (p = 0.777). Conclusion As with any solid organ transplant, lung allografts unfortunately suffer failure with time. Laparoscopic Toupet fundoplication performed in a high-volume centre by an experienced surgeon did not appear to alter this. In particular, once CLAD is diagnosed it seems that the decline in function (FEV1) is accelerated and cannot be salvaged by fundoplication. A minority of patients had their declining FEV1 stabilised or improved by surgery, but it is not yet possible to predict response.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 94 (2) ◽  
pp. 225-229
Author(s):  
Teri Jo Mauch ◽  
Tim Myers ◽  
Clifford E. Kashtan ◽  
Susan Bratton ◽  
Elliot Krane ◽  
...  

Objective. Influenza B virus causes epidemic infection in normal children, but only one case of infection in an immunocompromised solid organ transplant (SOT) recipient has been reported. Characterization of the clinical course of influenza B virus infection in pediatric SOT recipients may increase the utilization of preventive and therapeutic interventions by pediatricians caring for these immunocompromised children. Design. Retrospective chart review of patients whose respiratory viral cultures yielded influenza B from January 1989 through March 1992. Patients. Twelve pediatric SOT recipients with influenza B virus infection were identified. These included five renal, four hepatic, and three cardiac allograft recipients, ranging from 19 months to 17 years 9 months of age (median 6 years 2 months). The post-transplant interval ranged from 6 weeks to 4 years 6 months (average 26.7 months). No patient had been immunized against influenza. Exposure histories were documented for eight children; five of these occurred in the hospital. Results. Clinical symptoms included fever (12/12), respiratory (11/12), or gastrointestinal complaints (8/12). Five patients had neurologic involvement; one died of uncal herniation. Ten children were hospitalized (median duration, 3 days; range, 2 to 79 days). Two patients (post-transplant interval, 3 to 8 months) required mechanical ventilation, and one of these received aerosolized ribavirin. Three children had concurrent allograft rejection. Conclusions. Influenza B infection is potentially life-threatening in pediatric SOT recipients. We recommend annual immunization of pediatric SOT recipients, their household contacts, and health care workers. Prospective studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy of influenza vaccination in pediatric SOT recipients.


2020 ◽  
pp. 535-538

Dermatological manifestations following transplantation are common but important to recognize and diagnose since they may be severe and life-threatening if not adequately and promptly treated. This chapter provides a systematic overview of the types of skin disease that may be encountered in children that have received a haematological or solid organ transplant. Complications relating to immunosuppression include an increased susceptibility to bacterial, viral, and fungal infections which may be significantly more virulent and hazardous in the context of reduced host immunity. Immune suppressant drugs may also cause drug rashes and aesthetic complications such as acne, hypertrichosis, or gingival hypertrophy, as well as longer-term risks from the development of malignancy. It is also important to recognize the range of mucocutaneous signs of acute and chronic graft versus host disease following bone marrow and solid organ transplantation which, again, may be severe and associated with significant morbidity and mortality.


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