West Nile virus (WNV) has become one of the new challenges for
transplant programs. In addition to
transmission by
mosquito bite, interhuman
transmission is possible through
blood products or
organ transplantation. Majority of
WNV infections present as asymptomatic or mild febrile illness, with less than 1% of infected developing neuroinvasive
disease. Many studies
report naturally acquired or
donor-derived
WNV infections in solid-
organ transplant recipients, mainly
kidney, but also
liver,
heart,
lungs and
pancreas. Given the much higher
risk of neuroinvasive
disease (40% and even higher) based on serologic and clinical studies and increased
mortality in
transplant population,
WNV infection should be considered in all
patients presented with
fever and neurological symptoms after
transplantation, especially during the
arbovirus transmission season.