Risks and Epidemiology of Infections After Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

Infections following HCT are frequently related to risk factors caused by the procedure itself. Neutropenia and mucositis predispose to bacterial infections. Prolonged neutropenia increases the likelihood of invasive fungal infection. GVHD and its treatment create the most important easily identifiable risk period for a variety of infectious complications, particularly mold infections. Profound, prolonged T cell immunodeficiency, present after T cell-depleted or cord blood transplants, is the main risk factor for viral problems like disseminated adenovirus disease or EBV-related posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder.