Recurrent leishmaniasis in kidney transplant recipients: report of 2 cases and systematic review of the literature

I. Simon, K.M. Wissing, V. Del Marmol, S. Antinori, M. Remmelink, E. Nilufer Broeders, J.L. Nortier, M. Corbellino, D. Abramowicz, A. Cascio. Recurrent leishmaniasis in kidney transplant recipients: report of 2 cases and systematic review of the literature. Transpl Infect Dis 2011: 13: 397–406. All rights reserved Abstract: The characteristics of 8 episodes of leishmaniasis with atypical manifestations in 2 Italian kidney transplant recipients are analyzed and contextualized among those of 52 other episodes of leishmaniasis observed in 19 transplant recipients found through a systematic review of the international literature. In all the patients, the initial episode was visceral leishmaniasis, which was associated with mucocutaneous involvement in 2 cases. With the exception of 1 case of post kala‐azar dermal leishmaniasis, 2 episodes of Leishmania endophthalmitis, and 3 episodes of mucocutaneous leishmaniasis, all the recurrences were characterized by visceral involvement. The potential role of polymerase chain reaction in monitoring the infection, the importance of a long follow‐up, the potential benefit of chemoprophylaxis, and the therapeutic challenges are discussed.