Heart Transplant Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Heart Transplant, including details on risks, prognosis, procedure, surgery, organ donation.

West Nile virus encephalitis infection in a heart transplant recipient: a case report.

Bragin-Sánchez D, Chang PP

Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of North Carolina Hospitals, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7075, USA.

Infection with West Nile virus (WNV) ranges from causing no symptoms to causing non-specific fever, meningitis, meningo-encephalitis and death. Advanced age and immunosuppression are the greatest risk factors for the development of encephalitis or other neurologic manifestations of WNV. We report the first fatal case of primary WNV infection in an orthotopic heart transplant recipient. We reviewed the literature on WNV infection in the general population and in immunocompromised hosts. As WNV becomes more common in the United States, it will become an increasing threat to our transplant population.

Published 17 May 2005 in J Heart Lung Transplant, 24(5): 621-3.
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