Epidemiology of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae bloodstream infections after renal transplantation from donation after cardiac death in a Chinese hospital: a case series analysis

BACKGROUND: Although the high mortality rates have been extensively reported worldwide, few studies have investigated the epidemiology of CRKP-BSIs in the early stage after kidney transplantation (KTx) from donation after cardiac death (DCD). We sought to describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of cases of carbapenem resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae bloodstream infections (CRKP-BSIs) in kidney transplantation recipients (KTRs) from DCD in our hospital. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of clinical data of CRKP-BSIs in KTRs admitted to a Chinese hospital in Beijing, China, between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2016 was performed. The annual percentage of patients with CRKP, the annual number of total KTRs and KTRs from DCD were determined. The genetic relatedness of the strains was determined by polymerase chain reaction and pulse field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). RESULTS: During the study period, there were total 947 KTRs in our hospital, including 275 KTRs from DCD. Five incidences of CRKP-BSIs in KTRs were identified, and two of them (Case 1,3) from the same foreign hospital. The incidence of CRKP-BSIs in the early stage (within 3 months) following kidney transplantation (KTx) from DCD was about 1.1% (3/275). In Case 1–3 and 5, the rupture of renal transplant artery was presented on the 40th, 16th, 43th and 74th day after KTx, and in Case 4, the thrombus of renal transplant artery was presented on the 13th day after KTx. Three cases (Case 1,2,5) occurring pneumothorax on the 45th, 51th and 32th day after KTx. Four cases (Case 1–4) received the excision of the transplanted kidney for the treatment. Polymerase chain reaction showed the bands for case 2 were distinctive from other cases. Pulse field gel electrophoresis showed mainly three clusters of the bands for all the isolates. CONCLUSIONS: During the study period, we observed an increase in the occurrence of CRKP-BSIs among KTRs from DCD in our hospital. We demonstrated that rupture/thrombus of the renal transplant artery was associated with CRKP-BSI in the early stage after KTx from DCD. Albeit the low incidence of CRKP-BSI (1.1%) after KTx from DCD, the high mortality (4/5) had been observed from the prognosis of the patients. Thorough surveillance of DCD donors, early identification of CRKP-BSI, necessary preventative measurements and use of appropriate treatments should be the strategy for CRKP-BSI in the early stage after KTx from DCD. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1186/s13756-018-0355-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.