ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the most relevant issues and clinical manifestations of herpes virus infections in the setting of transplantation and human immunodeficiency virus infection. Human transplants include hematopoietic stem cell transplants (HSCT) and solid organ transplants (SOT). HSCT refers to the infusion of hematopoietic stem cells from a donor into a patient who has received bone marrow ablative chemotherapy. Herpes simplex virus (HSV) disease is an important potential complication of lung and heart–lung transplants, whereas it is less frequent in other SOT recipients, including kidney, liver, heart, and pancreas recipients. Clinical manifestations of mucocutaneous HSV disease in transplant patients do not significantly differ from those of immunocompetent hosts, but as a consequence of impaired immune competence the evolution of the disease appears to be more prolonged in this setting, with persistent viral shedding and slower healing. HSV disease in transplant patients has the potential to disseminate and cause severe disease.
