Kidney transplantation is the treatment of choice for children with end-stage kidney disease as it is associated with a survival benefit, improved physical growth, and better neurocognitive development compared with dialysis. Due to advances in immunosuppression, patient and graft survival have significantly improved over the years. However, with the increase in the potency of immunosuppression the risk of post-transplant infections has increased, making infections the leading cause of hospitalizations in pediatric kidney transplant recipients. Common post-transplant infections include opportunistic bacterial infections, viral infections including cytomegalovirus, Epstein Bar virus, BK virus, and fungal infections such as Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia. Furthermore, kidney transplant recipients are at risk of donor-derived infections as well as infections unique to their underlying disease, for instance, multidrug-resistant bacterial colonization and urinary tract infections in the setting of the congenital anomalies of the kidney and the urinary tract. Posttransplant infections are associated with devastating complications such as post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease and graft loss. Infections account for 28% of deaths in pediatric kidney transplant recipients. Prevention, diagnosis, and management of posttransplant infections is critical to reducing morbidity and mortality after kidney transplantation in children.
The objective of this Research Topic is an in-depth review of the literature and original research to inform the surveillance, prevention, and management of infections and infection-related complications (BK nephropathy, post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease) in pediatric kidney transplant recipients. This project also aims to identify gaps in knowledge and research opportunities to optimize the prevention, treatment, and outcomes of posttransplant infections.
For this project, we seek Original Research, Systematic Review, Mini Review, Perspective, Clinical Trial, and Case Report articles that encompass the following topics:
1. Pretransplant infectious disease evaluation for kidney transplant candidates
2. Prevention, diagnosis, and management of donor-derived infections in pediatric kidney transplant recipients
3. Surveillance, prevention, and treatment of EBV viremia/disease in pediatric kidney transplant recipients, including the role of rituximab for the treatment of EBV viremia
4. Prevention, diagnosis, management, and long-term outcomes of posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease
5. Surveillance, prevention, diagnosis, and management of BK viremia and BK nephropathy, including treatment with pharmacological agents and BK-specific T cell therapy
6. Surveillance, prevention, and treatment of CMV viremia/disease, including a discussion of the efficacy and side effects of various prophylactic and therapeutic agents
7. Fungal infections in pediatric kidney transplant recipients
8. Parasitic and opportunistic bacterial infections in pediatric kidney transplant recipients
9. Diagnosis and treatment of active and latent tuberculosis in transplant candidates and transplant recipients
10. Vaccination in kidney transplant candidates and kidney transplant recipients
11. SARS-CoV-2 and pediatric kidney transplantation.
Kidney transplantation is the treatment of choice for children with end-stage kidney disease as it is associated with a survival benefit, improved physical growth, and better neurocognitive development compared with dialysis. Due to advances in immunosuppression, patient and graft survival have significantly improved over the years. However, with the increase in the potency of immunosuppression the risk of post-transplant infections has increased, making infections the leading cause of hospitalizations in pediatric kidney transplant recipients. Common post-transplant infections include opportunistic bacterial infections, viral infections including cytomegalovirus, Epstein Bar virus, BK virus, and fungal infections such as Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia. Furthermore, kidney transplant recipients are at risk of donor-derived infections as well as infections unique to their underlying disease, for instance, multidrug-resistant bacterial colonization and urinary tract infections in the setting of the congenital anomalies of the kidney and the urinary tract. Posttransplant infections are associated with devastating complications such as post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease and graft loss. Infections account for 28% of deaths in pediatric kidney transplant recipients. Prevention, diagnosis, and management of posttransplant infections is critical to reducing morbidity and mortality after kidney transplantation in children.
The objective of this Research Topic is an in-depth review of the literature and original research to inform the surveillance, prevention, and management of infections and infection-related complications (BK nephropathy, post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease) in pediatric kidney transplant recipients. This project also aims to identify gaps in knowledge and research opportunities to optimize the prevention, treatment, and outcomes of posttransplant infections.
For this project, we seek Original Research, Systematic Review, Mini Review, Perspective, Clinical Trial, and Case Report articles that encompass the following topics:
1. Pretransplant infectious disease evaluation for kidney transplant candidates
2. Prevention, diagnosis, and management of donor-derived infections in pediatric kidney transplant recipients
3. Surveillance, prevention, and treatment of EBV viremia/disease in pediatric kidney transplant recipients, including the role of rituximab for the treatment of EBV viremia
4. Prevention, diagnosis, management, and long-term outcomes of posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease
5. Surveillance, prevention, diagnosis, and management of BK viremia and BK nephropathy, including treatment with pharmacological agents and BK-specific T cell therapy
6. Surveillance, prevention, and treatment of CMV viremia/disease, including a discussion of the efficacy and side effects of various prophylactic and therapeutic agents
7. Fungal infections in pediatric kidney transplant recipients
8. Parasitic and opportunistic bacterial infections in pediatric kidney transplant recipients
9. Diagnosis and treatment of active and latent tuberculosis in transplant candidates and transplant recipients
10. Vaccination in kidney transplant candidates and kidney transplant recipients
11. SARS-CoV-2 and pediatric kidney transplantation.