Abidi, Maheen Z.

ABSTRACT Background Few studies have examined pretransplant CD4 count and risk of post‐kidney transplant (KT) infection in persons with HIV (PWH). Methods This multi‐center, retrospective cohort study included adult PWH undergoing KT from 2004 to 2019. The primary outcome was infection in the first year post‐KT in PWH with pretransplant CD4 < 350 cells/µL versus CD4 ≥ 350 cells/µL. Relative risk was assessed using modified Poisson modeling. Restricted mean survival time analysis was used to assess 5‐year posttransplant outcomes. Results Of the 75 patients included, 27% had a pretransplant CD4 < 350 cells/µL. Those with CD4 < 350 versus CD4 ≥ 350 were more likely to be hospitalized for infection in the first year (55% versus 16%, p = 0.001). There were no significant differences in relative risk of infection in the first‐year posttransplant (RR: 1.31, p = 0.053), 5‐year overall survival (87.5% vs. 93%, p = 0.49) or 5‐year graft loss (29.4% vs. 23.1%, p = 0.61) betweengroups. Conclusion These findings suggest that pretransplant CD4 count alone may not reflect the true risk of post‐KT infection in PWH.

ABSTRACT Attending conferences is a foundational component of professional growth in transplant infectious diseases (TIDs), yet trainees and early‐career faculty often face an overwhelming array of meeting options and limited guidance on how to maximize the experience. This report outlines practical strategies for selecting the most impactful conferences, preparing effectively, engaging with poster sessions, cultivating meaningful professional connections, and incorporating rest and reflection into conference travel. Unlike previous discussions hosted by the TID Early Career Network (TxIDECN), which typically occurred over social media, this was a live expert panel with audience participation at the 2025 Fred Hutch Symposium on Infectious Diseases in the Immunocompromised Host on May 13, 2025, in Seattle, Washington. Here, we summarize that discussion with actionable tools to navigate conferences intentionally and translate these experiences into sustained academic and career development for emerging TID professionals. image

ABSTRACT Introduction Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most common infectious complication in kidney transplant (KT) recipients. UTI risk is associated with frailty in older adults, and UTIs may exacerbate frailty. However, this relationship has not been described in KT recipients who are at both greater risk of frailty and UTIs. Methods We conducted a retrospective chart review of 90 KT recipients aged ≥ 50 years who underwent KT between January and July 2021 and had ≥ 12 months of post‐transplant follow‐up. UTIs were identified at the time of each occurrence. Frailty was assessed at baseline using the modified Rockwood‐20 frailty index (mFI); scores ≥ 0.25 were considered frail, 0.08–0.24 pre‐frail, and < 0.08 non‐frail. The primary outcome was cumulative UTI occurrence based on frailty status, analyzed using Cox proportional hazards regression. Results Among 90 KT recipients, 33 (37%) developed ≥ 1 UTI. Notably, 45% of KT recipients with UTIs were frail, compared to 25% of KT recipients without UTIs. Compared to non‐frail KT recipients, frail KT recipients had a significantly higher risk of UTIs (HR 8.13, 95% CI 1.89, 34.91; p = 0.005), as did pre‐frail KT recipients (HR 4.51, 95% CI 1.02, 19.92; p = 0.047). Frail KT recipients also experienced earlier UTI onset, with 12 out of 21 total UTIs (57%) occurring within the first 30 days post‐KT. Conclusion Frailty and prefrailty are associated with increased UTI risk in KT recipients. These findings highlight the importance of frailty assessment in post‐transplant care and suggest the need for targeted interventions to reduce UTI risk in this vulnerable population. image

Abstract Background Characterization of transplant transmitted infections associated with drowned organ donors and the recipients is not well delineated, posing challenges for optimal management and prophylaxis strategies. Broader organ sharing may pose additional considerations due to pathogen variation. Methods We reviewed 22 potential donor disease transmission events (PDDTEs) from drowned donors reported to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) ad hoc Disease Transmission Advisory Committee (DTAC) from 2017-2022 to estimate the incidence of PDDTEs among all US drowned organ donors and identify the most common pathogens in this setting. We also characterized donor/recipient epidemiology, infection timing and risk factors, and recipient survival. Results From 2017-2022, drowning was the mechanism of death in 777/74,232 (1.0%) of all US organ donors, from whom 2500 organs were transplanted. Among the 22 PDDTEs, there were 70 organ recipients. The median donor age was 17.5 years (range 1-70 years) and lung recipients accounted for 5/70 organ recipients. All PDDTE reports were submitted due to recipient disease, and index cases occurred 2-19 days post-transplant. 7/22 (7/777 drowned donors, 0.9%) PDDTEs were associated with pathogens consistent with plausible waterborne transmission, of which 4 were due to invasive molds (Zygomycetes and Scedosporium) and 3 were due to bacteria (Pseudomonas and Legionella). Of the 21 organ recipients from these 7 donors, 8 had proven or probable infections. 6/8 recipients had severe infection with 3 deaths, all from invasive mold infections. There were no identifiable infection risk factors related to drowning water source, donor immersion time, or geographic region. However, donor/recipient regional discordance occurred in 5/21 recipients, demonstrating the trend in broader organ sharing. Conclusion Though rare, organ recipients are at risk for transplant transmitted infection from drowned donors, particularly invasive mold infections. All infections occurred within the first month after transplant with high associated mortality. Though optimal management and prophylaxis strategies in these scenarios remain uncertain, post-transplant vigilance for early infection is paramount. Disclosures Helen S. Te, MD, CVS Caremark: Advisor/Consultant Lara A. Danziger-Isakov, MD, MPH, Aicuris: clinical research contract, paid to institutio|Ansun BioPharma: clinical research contract, paid to institution|Astellas: Advisor/Consultant|Astellas: clinical research contract, paid to institutio|Merck: clinical research contract, paid to institutio|Pfizer: Grant/Research Support|Takeda: clinical research contract, paid to institutio Anil J. Trindade, MD, CareDx, Inc.: Advisor/Consultant|CareDx, Inc.: Grant/Research Support|TFF Pharmaceuticals: Advisor/Consultant|Veloxis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Grant/Research Support

ABSTRACTBackgroundCoccidioidomycosis is a fungal infection that poses a serious risk when transmitted through organ transplantation. We analyzed cases reported to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network ad hoc Disease Transmission Advisory Committee from 2013 to 2022.MethodsDonors and/or recipients who had positive Coccidioides immitis/posadasii serology, pathology, and/or culture were included in this study. Cases adjudicated as ‘proven’ or ‘probable’ were analyzed for donor infection risk factors, the timing of infection, transmission by organ type, clinical manifestations, and recipient outcomes. Patient and facility identifiers were removed prior to review.ResultsDuring this time period, 73 potential instances of Coccidioides donor disease transmission events were reported. Among them, infection was transmitted from seven deceased donors to eight recipients. All seven deceased donors had prior infection or exposure to regions where coccidioidomycosis is endemic. Of 20 individuals receiving organs from these donors, eight developed infection, resulting in a 40% transmission rate. The median time to diagnosis post‐transplant was 39 days. Disseminated disease occurred in six recipients, five of whom died from the infection. Notably, none of the recipients who received prophylactic antifungal treatment died from the infection.ConclusionDespite its rarity, donor‐derived Coccidioides infection is a serious concern, particularly due to the high mortality rate in the early post‐transplant period. To mitigate these risks, a thorough assessment of donor exposure history, coupled with donor serology and bronchoalveolar lavage cultures, can effectively guide post‐transplant antifungal prophylaxis. Prompt reporting is crucial to prevent Coccidioides infections among other recipients. image

AbstractBackgroundBetter access to direct‐acting antiviral (DAA) therapy has broadened the utilization of hepatitis C virus (HCV) nucleic acid testing (NAT) positive organs with excellent outcomes. However, DAA therapy has been associated with hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation.AimTo determine the risk of HBV transmission or reactivation with utilization of HBV core antibody positive (HBcAb+) and HCV NAT positive (HCV+) organs, which presumably required DAA therapy.MethodsThe number of HBcAb+ donors with delineated HCV NAT status was obtained from the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) database. The number of unexpected HBV infections from transplanted organs adjudicated as “proven” or “probable” transmission was obtained from the OPTN Ad Hoc Disease Transmission Advisory Committee database. A chart review of the donors of “proven” or “probable” cases was conducted.ResultsFrom January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2021, 7735 organs were procured from 3767 HBcAb+ donors and transplanted into 7469 recipients; 545 (14.5%) donors were also HCV+. HBV transmission or reactivation occurred in seven recipients. The rate is not significantly different between recipients of HCV+ (0.18%, 2/1115) and the HCV NAT negative (HCV‐) organs (0.08%, 5/6354) (p = 0.28) or between recipients of HCV+ and HCV‐ livers as well as non‐liver organs. HBV transmission or reactivation occurred within a median of 319 (range, 41–1117) days post‐transplant in the setting of missing, inadequate, or truncated prophylaxis.ConclusionHBV reactivation associated with DAA therapy for HBcAb+ HCV+ organs is less frequent than reported in the non‐transplant population, possibly due to the common use of HBV prophylaxis in the at‐risk transplant population. image

ImportanceSystematic data on the association between anticancer therapies and thromboembolic events (TEEs) in patients with COVID-19 are lacking.ObjectiveTo assess the association between anticancer therapy exposure within 3 months prior to COVID-19 and TEEs following COVID-19 diagnosis in patients with cancer.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis registry-based retrospective cohort study included patients who were hospitalized and had active cancer and laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Data were accrued from March 2020 to December 2021 and analyzed from December 2021 to October 2022.ExposureTreatments of interest (TOIs) (endocrine therapy, vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors/tyrosine kinase inhibitors [VEGFis/TKIs], immunomodulators [IMiDs], immune checkpoint inhibitors [ICIs], chemotherapy) vs reference (no systemic therapy) in 3 months prior to COVID-19.Main Outcomes and MeasuresMain outcomes were (1) venous thromboembolism (VTE) and (2) arterial thromboembolism (ATE). Secondary outcome was severity of COVID-19 (rates of intensive care unit admission, mechanical ventilation, 30-day all-cause mortality following TEEs in TOI vs reference group) at 30-day follow-up.ResultsOf 4988 hospitalized patients with cancer (median [IQR] age, 69 [59-78] years; 2608 [52%] male), 1869 had received 1 or more TOIs. Incidence of VTE was higher in all TOI groups: endocrine therapy, 7%; VEGFis/TKIs, 10%; IMiDs, 8%; ICIs, 12%; and chemotherapy, 10%, compared with patients not receiving systemic therapies (6%). In multivariable log-binomial regression analyses, relative risk of VTE (adjusted risk ratio [aRR], 1.33; 95% CI, 1.04-1.69) but not ATE (aRR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.56-1.16) was significantly higher in those exposed to all TOIs pooled together vs those with no exposure. Among individual drugs, ICIs were significantly associated with VTE (aRR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.01-2.07). Also noted were significant associations between VTE and active and progressing cancer (aRR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.01-2.03), history of VTE (aRR, 3.10; 95% CI, 2.38-4.04), and high-risk site of cancer (aRR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.14-1.75). Black patients had a higher risk of TEEs (aRR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.03-1.50) than White patients. Patients with TEEs had high intensive care unit admission (46%) and mechanical ventilation (31%) rates. Relative risk of death in patients with TEEs was higher in those exposed to TOIs vs not (aRR, 1.12; 95% CI, 0.91-1.38) and was significantly associated with poor performance status (aRR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.30-2.40) and active/progressing cancer (aRR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.13-2.13).Conclusions and RelevanceIn this cohort study, relative risk of developing VTE was high among patients receiving TOIs and varied by the type of therapy, underlying risk factors, and demographics, such as race and ethnicity. These findings highlight the need for close monitoring and perhaps personalized thromboprophylaxis to prevent morbidity and mortality associated with COVID-19–related thromboembolism in patients with cancer.

ImportanceCytokine storm due to COVID-19 can cause high morbidity and mortality and may be more common in patients with cancer treated with immunotherapy (IO) due to immune system activation.ObjectiveTo determine the association of baseline immunosuppression and/or IO-based therapies with COVID-19 severity and cytokine storm in patients with cancer.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis registry-based retrospective cohort study included 12 046 patients reported to the COVID-19 and Cancer Consortium (CCC19) registry from March 2020 to May 2022. The CCC19 registry is a centralized international multi-institutional registry of patients with COVID-19 with a current or past diagnosis of cancer. Records analyzed included patients with active or previous cancer who had a laboratory-confirmed infection with SARS-CoV-2 by polymerase chain reaction and/or serologic findings.ExposuresImmunosuppression due to therapy; systemic anticancer therapy (IO or non-IO).Main Outcomes and MeasuresThe primary outcome was a 5-level ordinal scale of COVID-19 severity: no complications; hospitalized without requiring oxygen; hospitalized and required oxygen; intensive care unit admission and/or mechanical ventilation; death. The secondary outcome was the occurrence of cytokine storm.ResultsThe median age of the entire cohort was 65 years (interquartile range [IQR], 54-74) years and 6359 patients were female (52.8%) and 6598 (54.8%) were non-Hispanic White. A total of 599 (5.0%) patients received IO, whereas 4327 (35.9%) received non-IO systemic anticancer therapies, and 7120 (59.1%) did not receive any antineoplastic regimen within 3 months prior to COVID-19 diagnosis. Although no difference in COVID-19 severity and cytokine storm was found in the IO group compared with the untreated group in the total cohort (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.80; 95% CI, 0.56-1.13, and aOR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.41-1.93, respectively), patients with baseline immunosuppression treated with IO (vs untreated) had worse COVID-19 severity and cytokine storm (aOR, 3.33; 95% CI, 1.38-8.01, and aOR, 4.41; 95% CI, 1.71-11.38, respectively). Patients with immunosuppression receiving non-IO therapies (vs untreated) also had worse COVID-19 severity (aOR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.36-2.35) and cytokine storm (aOR, 2.32; 95% CI, 1.42-3.79).Conclusions and RelevanceThis cohort study found that in patients with cancer and COVID-19, administration of systemic anticancer therapies, especially IO, in the context of baseline immunosuppression was associated with severe clinical outcomes and the development of cytokine storm.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04354701

Abstract Background The survival benefit of combination antifungal therapy for invasive mucormycosis (IM) in patients with hematologic malignancy (HM) and hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) is not well defined. Methods This multicenter, retrospective study included HM and HCT recipients with proven or probable IM between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2017 from 10 transplant centers across North America. Results Sixty-four patients with proven (n = 47) or probable (n = 17) IM defined by 2008 European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer/Mycoses Study Group (EORTC/MSG) consensus definitions were included. Thirty-nine (61%) were HCT recipients (95% allogeneic). Sites of infection included rhino-orbital-cerebral (33), pulmonary (30%), disseminated (19%), gastrointestinal (3%), and cutaneous (3%). Surgical debridement was performed in 66%. Initial antifungal treatment consisted of the following: lipid formulation of amphotericin B (AmB) alone (44%), AmB + posaconazole (25%), AmB + echinocandin (13%), AmB + isavuconazole (8%), posaconazole alone (5%), and isavuconazole alone (3%). All-cause mortality at 30 days and 1 year were 38% and 66%, respectively. Initial treatment with AmB plus posaconazole or isavuconazole (n = 28) was associated with a trend toward lower treatment failure compared with AmB (n = 21) (42% vs 64%, P = .136). Conclusions Long-term survival with IM among HM and HCT populations remains poor. However, initial use of AmB + azole in conjunction with surgery may result in less treatment failure. More evidence from prospective controlled studies is needed to confirm this observation.

SummaryInvasive mucormycosis is a rare fungal infection in immunocompromised hosts, but it carries a high mortality rate. Primary gastrointestinal disease is the least frequent form of presentation. Early diagnosis and treatment are critical in the management; however, symptoms are typically non‐specific in gastrointestinal disease, leading to delayed therapy. To describe the clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment and outcomes of gastrointestinal mucormycosis in immunocompromised hosts, we reviewed all cases of primary gastrointestinal mucormycosis in immunocompromised hosts reported in English literature as well as in our Institution from January 1st 1991 to December 31st 2013 for a total of 31 patients. About 52% of patients underwent solid organ transplant (SOT), while the rest had an underlying haematologic malignancy. Abdominal pain was the most common presenting symptom, followed by gastrointestinal bleeding and fever. Gastric disease was more common in SOT, whereas those with haematologic malignancy presented with intestinal disease (P = 0.002). Although gastrointestinal mucormycosis remains an uncommon condition in immunocompromised hosts, it carries significant morbidity and mortality, particularly in cases with intestinal involvement. A high index of suspicion is of utmost importance to institute early and appropriate therapy and improve outcomes.