Tuberculosis infection in renal transplant recipients and evaluation of risk factors.>

<b>Introduction:</b> Tuberculosis (Tb) is an opportunistic infection after solid organ transplantation including the kidney. <b>Aims and Methods:</b> This study aims to retrospectively analyze the solid organ transplant cases performed in our center and to examine the parameters and characteristics of patients in pre-transplant period that affect the occurrence of Tb infection post-transplant.The study was approved by the ethical committee of Baskent University (Project No: KA18/219). <b>Results:</b> A total of 194 patients were included in the study. 146 patients (75.25%) were male and the average age was 38.5 ± 12.9 years (R: 16-71). IGRA test result of 175 patients (90.2%) were analyzed and 25.7% of them had a positive test result. Only 12 patients (26.7%) who had a positive IGRA test had received the isoniazid prophylaxis treatment. Whereas IGRA results in living donors (149 patients) were positive in 46 patients (30.8%) and one of them had also received treatment for Tb previously. Interestingly only one case of Tb lymphadenitis was detected. Tb infection was diagnosed at 6month post-transplant period and this patient was a 51year-old non-smoker female with no diabetes, history of hemodialysis or immunosuppressive drug usage. IGRA test was negative for this patient and her recipient and she had a history of steroid usage before transplantation. This patient had a rejection of the organ that lead to graft nephrectomy. <b>Conclusions:</b> TB incidence was low (0.17/year) in kidney recipients and it is hard to determine the risk factors that lead to infection in post-transplant period. Prophylaxis was protective. Organ rejection and steroid usage before transplant might be potential risk factors for the Tb infection.