Infections and Kidney Transplantation
Date issued: October 2022
Review date: October 2024
Ref: A-508/AS/Renal/Infections and Kidney Transplantation
PDF: Infections and Kidney Transplantation final October 2022.pdf [pdf] 215KB
Infections and Kidney Transplantation
People who have had a kidney transplant need to take immunosuppressive medication to ensure their body does not reject their donated kidney. As a result, this can increase the risk of developing infections or viruses. Knowing what to look out for and seeking help early can greatly reduce your risk of becoming unwell.
Common infections
Common infections that can develop after transplant can range from urine infections to diarrhoea & vomiting, thrush, or the common cold. Lots of people will develop these infections anyway but transplant patients can suffer from them more frequently and recovery may take longer.
All transplant patients receive an antibiotic called co-trimoxazole (or an alternative if you are allergic) for the first six months following transplantation. This helps prevent against some common infections, whilst your immunosuppressants are being adjusted.
Chicken pox
Chicken pox is a viral infection that people often contract as children. When your body starts to clear the infection, the virus hides in your nerves and goes to sleep. This can re-activate at times of stress or lowered immunity and cause shingles. You cannot catch shingles, but you can catch chicken pox if you come into contact with shingles.
If you have had chicken pox in the past (even if it was when you were a small baby) you are unlikely to have any problems. If you are not sure or have not had it before then contact the transplant nurses as they can check to see if you are at risk as we test your immunity to this virus at the time of transplant. If you are vulnerable the team can arrange for some preventative treatment.
Shingrix®, a non-live shingles vaccine, is approved & recommended for use in immunosuppressed individuals aged 70 to 79 years.
Shingles can be more serious in transplant patients than in other people. If you develop shingles, please contact the transplant team for advice as you may need specific treatment.
Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
CMV is a member of a group of viruses called herpes viruses and is very common - about 80% of the population is infected. In healthy people it lives latently and rarely causes any problems, however it can ‘re-activate’ at times of stress or lowered immunity, which can make people ill as well as damaging their kidney.
We check to see if you and your donor have been exposed to CMV prior to your transplant. If you have never been exposed to CMV and are receiving a kidney from a CMV + donor, you will be given an anti-viral medication (valganciclovir) that reduces your chances of developing a harmful CMV infection
The symptoms of CMV infection often feel like any other viral infection and we regularly monitor CMV at clinic appointments, so we can treat if you were to become infected.
BK virus
BK is another common virus that most people get during childhood. Symptoms are like the common cold, however like chicken pox and CMV, once infected the virus will remain latent in your body. Immunosuppression can cause the virus to ‘wake up’ and cause symptoms of infection, which can damage your new kidney and cause your body to reject it. BK is regularly monitored at your clinic appointments and adjustments to your medications can be made to treat it.
Further information
NHS Blood & Transplant:
