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Outbreak ofPneumocystis carinii pneumonia in a renal transplant unit

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Abstract

The charts for seven renal transplant recipients who developedPneumocystis carinii pneumonia were reviewed. They included six men and one woman transplanted a mean of 150 days before the diagnosis of this infection. Six presented at least one episode of acute graft rejection. Cytomegalovirus pneumonia was diagnosed in six of the patients. All patients were treated with cotrimoxazole. Global mortality was 43 %. In additional to the classic hypothesis of latentPneumocystis carinii reactivation in immunocompromised hosts, this and previous reports of outbreaks strongly suggest either a person-to-person transmission or acquisition from the environment. Molecular typing of isolates could be of value in identifying the source of such outbreaks. Chemoprophylaxis should be more systematically administered to renal transplant patients, co-trimoxazole being the drug of choice.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Service de Microbiologie, Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades, 149 rue de Sèvres, 75015, Paris, France

    C. Hennequin

  2. Service de Transplantation Rénale, Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades, 149 rue de Sèvres, 75015, Paris, France

    B. Page, C. Legendre & H. Kreis

  3. Service de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Hôpital Tenon, 4 rue de la Chine, 75020, Paris, France

    P. Roux

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  1. C. Hennequin
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  2. B. Page
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  3. P. Roux
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  4. C. Legendre
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  5. H. Kreis
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Hennequin, C., Page, B., Roux, P. et al. Outbreak ofPneumocystis carinii pneumonia in a renal transplant unit. Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. 14, 122–126 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02111870

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