Transplantation and tropical infectious diseases

Abstract

The number of transplant recipients with tropical infectious diseases is growing due to increasing international travel and the rising number of transplants taking place in the tropics and subtropics. With increases in population migration, the prevalence of individuals infected with geographically restricted organisms also rises. There are three potential categories of tropical infections in transplant patients: (1) donor-related infections transmitted by the graft or through transfusion of blood products; (2) reactivation or recrudescence of latent infections in the donor recipient; and (3) de novo acquisition of infection in the post-transplant period through the traditional route of infection. We present an overall discussion of the association of parasitic (protozoa and helminths) and non-parasitic (viral, bacterial, and fungal) tropical infectious diseases and solid-organ and hematopoietic transplantation. We also suggest potential screening guidelines for some of these tropical infections.