Prevalence and risk factors of recurrent cytomegalovirus infection in kidney transplant recipients

Recurrence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection following solid organ transplantation causes mortality and morbidity in allograft recipients. The aim of this study was to evaluate prevalence and risk factors of recurrent CMV infection in kidney transplant patients. Four hundred and twenty-seven consecutive kidney transplant recipients were included in this retrospective cohort study. Both donors and recipients were CMV seropositive. Recurrent CMV infection (symptomatic or asymptomatic) was defined as detection of CMV infection in a patient who has had previously documented infection and who had not have virus detected for an interval of at least 4 weeks during active surveillance. Of 427 recipients, 71 (16.6%) had CMV infection, of which 19 (4.4%) were recurrent infection. Donor source, dialysis duration before transplantation, recipient and donor age and sex, and administration of antithymocyte globulin and prophylactic treatment ganciclovir were not associated with CMV infection or recurrence. The use of tacrolimus in the immunosuppressive regimen as compared to cyclosporine was an independent risk factor for CMV infection but not recurrent infection. Intensive immunosuppressive regimen, such as using tacrolimus, might be associated with a higher risk for CMV infection, but this study was not able to document the same association for recurrent CMV disease. In patients receiving immunosuppressive regimens that include tacrolimus and antithymocyte globulin, prophylactic treatment for CMV disease with ganciclovir is recommended.