ABSTRACT
The number of patients undergoing organ transplantation has increased dramatically in the recent years. Between 1998 and 2002, a total of 113 682 solid organ transplant surgeries (an average of 22 736 annually) were performed in the United States. This represents a 20.1 percent increase in the numbers compared with those in the previous 5 years, i.e. 1993-97.1 At the same time, advances in immunosuppressive regimens and more potent immunosuppressive agents have led to a reduction in the incidence of acute rejection episodes after organ transplantation. However, infections remain a significant complication in organ transplant recipients. Indeed, the North American Renal Transplant Cooperative study documented that, in the current era, the causes of hospitalization up to 24 months after transplantation have shifted away from acute rejection to post-transplant infections.2
