infection in feline renal transplant recipients: 24 cases (1998-2018).

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effects of infection in feline renal transplant recipients with a preoperative seronegative or unknown serostatus (SN-UNK) for and the efficacy of lifelong prophylactic treatment of infection in feline renal transplant recipients with a preoperative seropositive serostatus (SP) for .

ANIMALS

24 cats with various serostatuses for before undergoing renal transplantation.

PROCEDURES

Medical records of cats that had undergone renal transplantation from 1998 through 2018 were reviewed. Two groups of cats were identified. Before renal transplantation, the SN-UNK group cats were seronegative for (n = 4) or serostatus for was unknown (4). The SN-UNK group cats received immunosuppressive therapy but were not maintained on prophylactic treatment of infection. The SP group cats were seropositive for (n = 16) prior to initiation of immunosuppressive therapy and renal transplantation and were managed after surgery with prophylactic treatment of infection.

RESULTS

All 8 SN-UNK group cats developed infections after initiation of immunosuppressive therapy and renal transplantation; infections were fatal in 6 cats. Of 16 SP group cats, 1 developed a nonfatal infection resulting in an allograft rejection episode. No SP group cats, which were managed postoperatively with prophylactic treatment, developed a fatal infection.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

infection resulted in morbidity and death in immunosuppressed cats not receiving prophylactic treatment of infection after renal transplantation. Seropositive cats were acceptable candidates for renal transplantation when lifelong prophylactic treatment of infection was provided.