infection in feline renal transplant recipients: 24 cases (1998-2018).

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects ofinfection in feline renal transplant recipients with a preoperative seronegative or unknown serostatus (SN-UNK) forand the efficacy of lifelong prophylactic treatment ofinfection in feline renal transplant recipients with a preoperative seropositive serostatus (SP) for. ANIMALS: 24 cats with various serostatuses forbefore undergoing renal transplantation. PROCEDURES: Medical records of cats that had undergone renal transplantation from 1998 through 2018 were reviewed. Two groups of cats were identified. Before renal transplantation, the SN-UNK group cats were seronegative for(n = 4) or serostatus forwas unknown (4). The SN-UNK group cats received immunosuppressive therapy but were not maintained on prophylactic treatment ofinfection. The SP group cats were seropositive for(n = 16) prior to initiation of immunosuppressive therapy and renal transplantation and were managed after surgery with prophylactic treatment ofinfection. RESULTS: All 8 SN-UNK group cats developedinfections after initiation of immunosuppressive therapy and renal transplantation;infections were fatal in 6 cats. Of 16 SP group cats, 1 developed a nonfatalinfection resulting in an allograft rejection episode. No SP group cats, which were managed postoperatively with prophylactic treatment, developed a fatalinfection. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: infection resulted in morbidity and death in immunosuppressed cats not receiving prophylactic treatment ofinfection after renal transplantation. Seropositive cats were acceptable candidates for renal transplantation when lifelong prophylactic treatment ofinfection was provided.