Infectious complications in heart transplant patients

Methods 37 patients who underwent orthotopic heart transplantation have been followed for a period of five years. Posttransplantation screening has been performed over the following etiological agents: CMV, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, Epstein-Barr virus and Toxoplasma gondii. Receptors with criteria for CMV IgG and Toxoplasma IgG antibodies have been accepted. Infectious episodes at 1, 6 and 12 months and evolution depending on CMV screening results, correlated with infection, acute rejection and allograft vessel disease have been pursued. Microbiological techniques, echocardiography, chest X-ray and endomyocardial biopsy have been performed for diagnosis.