Transplant Unit

Anti rejection therapy suppresses your bodies immunity. Therefore you will be more likely to develop infections following your transplant surgery - particularly in the first three months until the dosages of drugs start to be reduced. The following are some of the more common infections.

• Cytomegalovirus (CMV) – CMV is one of the viral infections that occur most often in transplant patients. The risk of CMV is highest in the first months after transplantation. Signs include fatigue, high temperature, aching joints, and headaches. 60%of the general population have been exposed to CMV. If your donor is known to have been exposed to it and you have not, prophylactic medicine will be prescribed to minimise your risk of contracting a CMV infection. If you do develop a CMV infection you will need to take medicine either intravenously or orally for several weeks.

• Herpes – simplex viruses usually infect the skin, but can also rarely affect the eyes and lungs. Type 1 causes cold sores and blisters around the mouth, and type 2 causes genital sores. Most herpes simplex infections are mild, but occasionally they can be severe. Although there is no cure for herpes, it can be treated. Depending on the severity of the infection, the treatment is either by mouth, on the skin or intravenous. Precautions: Keep the sore areas as clean and dry as possible, wash your hands with soap and water after touching the sore and avoid kissing or having oral sex with someone who has a cold sore.

• Herpes Zoster ( shingles ) appears as a rash or small water blisters, usually on the chest, back or hips. The rash may or may not be painful. Contact the transplant co-ordinator or ward immediately if you think you have this kind of rash.

• Varicella Zoster ( chicken pox ) may appear as a rash or small blisters. If you are in contact with anyone who develops chicken pox contact the transplant co-ordinator or ward immediately.

• Candida ( yeast ) is a fungus that can cause a variety of infections in transplant patients. It usually starts in the mouth or throat but may also occur in the surgical wound, eyes, or respiratory or genito-urinary tract. If there is infection in the mouth or throat or vagina, it is called thrush. Thrush causes white, patchy lesions ( raw areas ), pain or tenderness, a white film on the tongue and difficulty swallowing. Candida can also infect the tube from the mouth to the stomach ( oesophagus ). Vaginal infections usually cause an abnormal discharge that may be yellow or white. If you develop a fungal infection, this will be treated with either intravenous or oral medication.