Cytomegalovirus infection during renal transplantation

Abstract

Renal transplantation (RT) is considered the best therapy for patients with chronic renal failure. Renal transplant patients have an elevated risk of infections, and viral diseases have a high prevalence, especially during the first year after RT. Viral infections might influence, in the short and long term, the graft outcome and the patient’s survival. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease can be particularly dangerous in immunosuppressed patients and its evaluation is important in the follow-up of RT. The aim of this review is to present a brief analysis of the epidemiology, clinic characteristics and methods currently available to the clinician for the diagnosis of CMV diseases. The impact, risk factors, main preventive and therapeutic measures currently available to manage CMV diseases in the early stages of RT will also be described, referring to the recent guidelines on the CMV management in transplanted patients.