Cutaneous fungal infection following renal transplantation: a case control study

Abstract

The prevalence of cutaneous fungal infection was studied in 72 patients who had undergone renal transplantation and compared with a group of age and sex matched controls. Samples were obtained from toe nails, toe webs, and the upper back; clinically suspicious lesions from other areas were also examined. A total of 576 sites were sampled (288 in each group). Pathogenic fungi were identified from 44 sites (15%) in the renal transplant (RT) group compared with 26 sites (9%) in the control group, (P less than 0.05). However, site-specific differences were less marked; no difference was found between the RT group and controls when the results from the toe nails and toe webs were analysed separately. Trichophyton mentagrophytes was the most common species isolated from both groups. Colonization of the back with Pityrosporum yeasts was significantly more common in the RT group, but few patients in either group had tinea versicolor. 'Mixed infections', with more than one species of fungus isolated in an individual, were only found in the RT group. We also examined the relationship between the presence of fungal infection and the presence or absence of cutaneous malignancy in the renal transplant group. No increase in the prevalence of fungal colonization was found in those patients who had developed cutaneous malignancy compared with those who had not.

Relapsing Tinea capitis by Microsporum canis in an Adult Female Renal Transplant Recipient

“…The prevalence of superficial fungal infection in RTP is greatly variable, ranging between 7 and 75% [1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]. …”

“…The skin of renal transplant patients (RTP) is more susceptible to fungal infections [1]. The risk of infection depends on the state of chronic immunosuppression and on environmental exposure to potentially pathogenic fungi.…”

Renal Transplantasyon Hastalarında Gözlenen Deri Bulgularının Süreye Göre Değişiminin Değerlendirilmesi

“…Renal transplant hastalarında immünsupresif tedaviye bağlı olarak fırsatçı infeksiyonlarda benzer bir artış düşünülebilir. Çalışmalarda Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, Cytomegalovirus ve Epstein-Barr virus gibi fırsatçı infeksiyonlar tespit edilmiştır 6,7 . Bizim yaptığımız dosya taramalarında fırsatçı infeksiyona rastlanmadı.…”

Superficial and deep cutaneous fungal infections in solid organ transplant recipients

“…Wśród leków immunosupresyjnych największe znaczenie mają obecnie inhibitory kalcyneuryny, glikokortykosteroidy i leki z grupy antymetabolitów, które stosowane są w różnych kombinacjach [10]. Długotrwałe leczenie immunosupresyjne osłabia odporność komórkową organizmu, zmniejsza liczbę komórek Langerhansa oraz przyczynia się do ścieńczenia i zaburzenia funkcjonowania warstwy rogowej skóry, co ułatwia rozwój infekcji [6,8,17]. Glikokortykosteroidy upośledzają zdolności fagocytarne neutrofilów i monocytów oraz obniżają aktywność cytotoksycznych limfocytów T [4,10].…”

“…Najczęściej izolowanym patogenem odpowiedzialnym za wywoływanie dermatofitoz u osób po transplantacji nerek jest Trichophyton rubrum [6,8,12], chociaż niektóre badania wskazują na Trichophyton mentagrophytes [4,17]. …”