Infection in Solid Organ Transplant: Prevention, Risk, and Treatment Strategies

Solid organ transplantation is a life-saving procedure for patients with end-stage organ disease. After transplant, recipients receive immunosuppressive therapy to preserve allograft function and prevent rejection. However, this therapy increases the risk of infections, which can cause increased morbidity and mortality. The transplant care team plays a crucial role in preventing, assessing, diagnosing, and managing infections in patients with solid organ transplantation. Preventive strategies include comprehensive infectious disease screening before transplant, vaccinations, and educating patients on infection risk mitigation in the pretransplant and posttransplant phase. After solid organ transplantation, transplant teams must closely monitor for a wide range of infections, from common pathogens to opportunistic infections. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment are vital for reducing infection-related morbidity and mortality. Collaboration between infectious disease specialists and transplant teams is key to guiding appropriate monitoring and treatment strategies for recipients of solid organ transplantation.