Prevalence and Outcome of Disseminated Varicella Zoster Infection Post Kidney Transplantation.

OBJECTIVE

Varicella zoster (VZV) is a potentially life-threatening infection after kidney transplantation (KT) but data on the incidence and outcome of late KT VZV infection is limited.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

A retrospective study of disseminated VZV infection (D-VZV) in post KT patients was conducted between 2003 and 2013. Acyclovir prophylaxis was given routinely for six months after KT Statistical analyses were performed by SPSS software version 17.0.

RESULTS

Prevalence of D-VZV was 2% [22/1,032 patients]. Patients median age were 40 (21-67) years old and 12 (55%) were male. Timing of the infection was mostly (68.2%) late (> 1 year) post KT The majority of maintenance immunosuppressive drug included prednisolone (95.5%), cyclosporine (77.3%), mycophenolate (68.2%). Two (9.1%) had a recent VZV exposure and four (18%) received intensified immunosuppression before the diagnosis. Common clinical presentations were lymphopenia (54.5%), generalized vesicular rash (50%), and multi-dermatomal distribution (50%) while liver involvement was infrequent (9.1%). None had pneumonitis or neurological involvement. All cases received systemic acyclovir with the median duration of 14 (3-31) days. One had received IVIG for fulminant hepatitis. Immunosuppressive drug/s was reduced in 59%. Median duration of hospitalization was seven (3-37) days. None of patients died. The median follow-up duration was 1939 (IQR 804-2440) days. Recurrent infection was uncommon (4.5%). Secondary prophylaxis was given only in one patient with fulminant VZV hepatitis.

CONCLUSION

Incidence of D-VZV post KT was low. Treatments with intravenous acyclovir and reduction of immunosuppression without the use of VZV IgG provided favorable outcome in resource-limited settings.