Tuberculosis after solid organ transplantation: Clinical experience in a tertiary hospital from Argentina.

Abstract

Tuberculosis in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients is a clinical challenge. This opportunistic infection has atypical presentations and raises concerns due to both the toxicity of antifimic drugs and their interaction with immunosuppressive therapy that may result in graft loss or death. This retrospective review of cases of active tuberculosis after SOT describes the management of this infection in a hospital in Argentina. Between January 2006 and June 2022, 27 transplanted patients had positive cultures for the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. Their median age was 56 years; 78% were male. Ten (37%) patients had extra-pulmonary or disseminated tuberculosis. Twenty-five (93%) patients required invasive procedures to reach a diagnosis. In 17 (63%) patients, the initial diagnosis was based on a positive Ziehl-Neelsen smear. Twenty-four patients received a four-drug induction treatment without rifampin. Clinical cure was 80% and crude mortality was 20%.