Fedaey Abbas, Mohsen El Kossi, Jon J Kim, Ihab S Shaheen, Ajay Sharma, Ravi Pararajasingam, Ahmed Halawa DOI:10.4103/jesnt.jesnt_15_19 The real effect of parasitic infection on transplant recipients is not known. Interestingly, only 5% of human parasitic infections can affect functioning of transplanted organs. Parasitic infections manifest in two different ways: first, systemic illness, including anemia and constitutional symptoms, and second, local syndromes, which are usually confined to the lower gastrointestinal tract. Examples for pathogens causing systemic disease are Plasmodium malaria, Leishmania, Trypanosoma, and Toxoplasma. On the contrary, protozoal infection with Cryptosporidium and microsporidia, or the nematodes such as Strongyloides, may manifest with the local syndromes. Management of these infections in transplant recipients entails the following: prevention, timely diagnosis, cultures, specific serological tests, and PCR testing. Once the diagnosis is established, prompt medical/surgical interventions should be instituted to save these patients from developing hyperinfection or disseminated parasitic syndromes, involving, for example, the lungs or the central nervous system. |