Molecular Epidemiology of Rifampicin-Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis by GeneXpert MTB/RIF Assay in Renal Transplant Recipients: A Single-Center Experience.

OBJECTIVES: There are scarce data on the incidence and resistance pattern of rifampicin-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis among kidney transplant recipients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective, single- center study of kidney transplantrecipients suspected of M. tuberculosis infection. The GeneXpert assay we used detected mutations in the rpoB gene that confer rifampicin resistance using 5 overlapping probes (A, B, C, D, and E). The probes can detect mutations in the codons 507 to 511 (probe A), 511 to 518 (probe B), 518 to 523 (probe C), 523 to 529 (probe D), and 529 to 533 (probe E).We also detailed the treatment protocol and outcomes of kidney transplantrecipients infected with rifampicin-resistant M. tuberculosis. RESULTS: In total, 2700 samples were processed during the period from October 2018 to February 2022 with successful results in 2640 samples (97.04%). One hundred and ninety (7.19%) samples were positive for M.tuberculosis, and rifampicin resistance was detected in 12 (0.45%) cases (11 pulmonary, 1 genitourinary). The most common rpoB mutation was located in the region of probe E (75.0%), followed by probe A (16.6%) and in 1 combination probe DE (8.33%). The rpoB mutations were not observed in probe B and probe C. Six patients received bedaquiline-based treatmentfor a short course of 11 months, whereas the other 6 patients required a long course of 18 to 20 months. Three patients died, 2 were lost to follow-up, and 7 were cured. During treatment, 4 patients experienced acute rejection, and 1 graft loss was reported. CONCLUSIONS: We report for the first time the incidence and pattern of rifampicin resistance among kidney transplant recipients with tuberculosis infection. Further investigations are required for exploring the molecular and clinical phenotypes.

Understanding the lived experiences of severe postnatal psychiatric illnesses in English speaking South Asian women, living in the UK: a qualitative study protocol.

INTRODUCTION: The South Asian population is the UK's largest and fastest growing minority ethnic group. There is evidence to suggest the lay understanding of postnatal psychiatric illnesses of this group may fall outside the purview of Western biomedical perspectives. Alternative explanations include psychosocial, cultural and spiritual factors. Approaching psychiatric illnesses through a social perspective includes gaining insight to the patient's subjective experiences and understandings via qualitative inquiry. The objectives of this qualitative study are to explore South Asian women's narrative of living with a severe postnatal psychiatric illness and experiences of Perinatal Mental Health Services, care and support. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Data collection is ongoing and will continue until 31 December 2018. Participants will be identified and recruited from Perinatal Mental Health Services in Birmingham and London. Eligible participants will be English speaking South Asian females aged 18 years or above with the capacity to give written informed consent. Participants are clinically diagnosed with a severe postnatal psychiatric illness. This qualitative study uses individual in-depth face-to-face interviews that aim to last 1 hour. Interviews will be audio recorded with participants' permission. Interview audio recordings will be transcribed verbatim and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). The primary goal of IPA is for the researcher to closely study and interpret how individuals make sense of their life experiences in a particular context by drawing on the fundamental principles of phenomenology, hermeneutics and idiography. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The University of Birmingham, the South Birmingham Research Ethics Committee and the Health Research Authority have approved this study (approvals date: 18-12-2017 ref: 17/WM/0350). Local capability and capacity have been confirmed from Trust Research and Development departments. The researchers plan to publish the results from this study in journals and present findings at academic conferences.

Urinary Screening for Early Detection of Kidney Diseases.

OBJECTIVE: Urinary screening is a simple inexpensive tool to evaluate kidney functions. The authors carried out urinary screening of school children for early detection of kidney diseases. METHODS: Children in the age group 5-15 y were screened for urinalysis. They were divided in 2 groups; group-1 included 5-10 y and group-2 included >10-15 y old children. RESULTS: Urine samples of 3340(78%) out of 4283 enrolled children were tested. Abnormal samples were found in 5.75%; with proteinuria in 4.59%, pyuria in 3.29% and hematuria in 4.31%. Males constituted 47.71% in group-1 and 54.64% in group-2. Low body mass index was found in 94.1% group-1 and 78.99% group-2 children. Mild proteinuria was found in 1.2% group-1 and 2.56% group-2 children. Severe proteinuria was more in group-2 (0.77% vs. 0.06%) with female preponderance. Glucosuria was found in 1 boy of group-2. Urobilinogen was more in group-2 (0.65% vs. 0.24%) with male preponderance. Nitrituria was found in 9 girls. Pyuria (2.02% vs. 1.27%) and hematuria were more in group-2 (3.04% vs. 1.87%) with female preponderance. Combined proteinuria and hematuria (0.42% vs. 0.24%) as well bacteruria and fungaluria were more in group-2 (4.11% vs. 1.39%). Six of 192 children with abnormal urinary findings were treated; 1 for urinary calculus and 5 for urinary tract infection. CONCLUSIONS: Abnormal urinary findings were more common in children >10 y of age. Thus urinary screening program of children can become useful for early detection of kidney diseases and contribute towards building up of a healthy nation.

Seventy-seven kidney paired donation transplantations at a single transplant centre in India led to an increase in living donor kidney transplantations in 2015.

BACKGROUND: To ascertain the validity of kidney paired donations (KPDs) as an alternative strategy for increasing living donor kidney transplantations (LDKTs) in an LDKT-dominated transplant programme since directed kidney transplantation, ABO-incompatible or crossmatch-positive pairs are not feasible due to costs and infectious complications. METHODS: This was a prospective single-centre study of 77 KPD transplantations (25 two-way, 7 three-way and 1 six-way exchange) from 1 January 2015 to 1 January 2016 of 158 registered donor recipient pairs. During this period, a total of 380 kidney transplantations [71 deceased donor kidney transplantations (DDKTs), 309 LDKTs] were performed. The reasons for opting for KPD were ABO incompatibility (n = 45), sensitization (n = 26) and better matching (n = 6). RESULTS: KPD matching was facilitated in 62% (n = 98) of transplants. In all, 48.7% (n = 77) of the transplants were completed in 2015, whereas 13.3% (n = 21) of the matched patients were to undergo transplant surgery in early 2016 after getting legal permission. The waiting time for KPD was shorter compared with DDKT. The death-censored graft survival and patient survival were 98.7% (n = 76) and 93.5% (n = 72), respectively. In all, 14.2% (n = 11) of patients had acute rejection. Match rates among sensitized (n = 60) and O group patients (n = 62) were 58.3% (n = 35) and 41.9% (n = 26), respectively. Of these, 43.3% (n = 26) and 29% (n = 18) of transplants were completed and 15% (n = 9) and 12.9% (n = 8), respectively, are waiting for legal permission. CONCLUSIONS: LDKT increased by 25% in 1 year in our single-centre KPD programme. Our key to success was the formation of a KPD registry, awareness and active counselling programs and developing a dedicated team.

Atypical Presentation of Isolated Cerebral Aspergillosis in a Renal Allograft Recipient.

The immunosuppressive state in organ transplantation leads to infectious complications responsible for high mortality rate. Fungal infections account for 5% of all infections in Renal Transplantation (RT) recipients. Aspergillus species are filamentous fungi frequently causing fungal infections in RT recipients. Lungs and paranasal sinuses are the usual portal of entry from where it disseminates to other organs. Here, we are reporting a case of 14-year-old boy with RT from mother's kidney, who had atypical presentation of isolated cerebral aspergillosis at 19 months post-transplant without identified portal of entry. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment saved the patient and the graft.

Past, present and future of kidney paired donation transplantation in India.

One third of healthy willing living kidney donors are rejected due to ABO blood group incompatibility and donor specific antibody. This increases pre-transplant dialysis duration leading to increased morbidity and mortality on the kidney transplantation waiting list. Over the last decade kidney paired donation is most rapidly increased source of living kidney donors. In a kidney transplantation program dominated by living donor kidney transplantation, kidney paired donation is a legal and valid alternative strategy to increase living donor kidney transplantation. This is more useful in countries with limited resources where ABO incompatible kidney transplantation or desensitization protocol is not feasible because of costs/infectious complications and deceased donor kidney transplantation is in initial stages. The matching allocation, ABO blood type imbalance, reciprocity, simultaneity, geography were the limitation for the expansion of kidney paired donation. Here we describe different successful ways to increase living donor kidney transplantation through kidney paired donation. Compatible pairs, domino chain, combination of kidney paired donation with desensitization or ABO incompatible transplantation, international kidney paired donation, non-simultaneous, extended, altruistic donor chain and list exchange are different ways to expand the donor pool. In absence of national kidney paired donation program, a dedicated kidney paired donation team will increase access to living donor kidney transplantation in individual centres with team work. Use of social networking sites to expand donor pool, HLA based national kidney paired donation program will increase quality and quantity of kidney paired donation transplantation. Transplant centres should remove the barriers to a broader implementation of multicentre, national kidney paired donation program to further optimize potential of kidney paired donation to increase transplantation of O group and sensitized patients. This review assists in the development of similar programs in other developing countries.

International kidney paired donation transplantations to increase kidney transplant of O group and highly sensitized patient: First report from India.

AIM: To report the first international living related two way kidney paired donation (KPD) transplantation from India which occurred on 17th February 2015 after legal permission from authorization committee. METHODS: Donor recipient pairs were from Portugal and India who were highly sensitized and ABO incompatible with their spouse respectively. The two donor recipient pairs had negative lymphocyte cross-matching, flow cross-match and donor specific antibody in two way kidney exchange with the intended KPD donor. Local KPD options were fully explored for Indian patient prior to embarking on international KPD. RESULTS: Both pairs underwent simultaneous uneventful kidney transplant surgeries and creatinine was 1 mg/dL on tacrolimus based immunosuppression at 11 mo follow up. The uniqueness of these transplantations was that they are first international KPD transplantations in our center. CONCLUSION: International KPD will increases quality and quantity of living donor kidney transplantation. This could be an important step to solving the kidney shortage with additional benefit of reduced costs, improved quality and increased access for difficult to match incompatible pairs like O blood group patient with non-O donor and sensitized patient. To the best of our knowledge this is first international KPD transplantation from India.

Impact of single centre kidney paired donation transplantation to increase donor pool in India: a cohort study.

In a living donor kidney transplantation (LDKT) dominated transplant programme, kidney paired donation (KPD) may be a cost-effective and valid alternative strategy to increase LDKT in countries with limited resources where deceased donation kidney transplantation (DDKT) is in the initial stages. Here, we report our experience of 300 single-centre KPD transplantations to increase LDKT in India. Between January 2000 and July 2016, 3616 LDKT and 561 DDKT were performed at our transplantation centre, 300 (8.3%) using KPD. The reasons for joining KPD among transplanted patients were ABO incompatibility (n = 222), positive cross-match (n = 59) and better matching (n = 19). A total of 124 two-way (n = 248), 14 three-way (n = 42), one four-way (n = 4) and one six-way exchange (n = 6) yielded 300 KPD transplants. Death-censored graft and patient survival were 96% (n = 288) and 83.3% (n = 250), respectively. The mean serum creatinine was 1.3 mg/dl at a follow-up of 3 ± 3 years. We credit the success of our KPD programme to maintaining a registry of incompatible pairs, counselling on KPD, a high-volume LDKT programme and teamwork. KPD is legal, cost effective and rapidly growing for facilitating LDKT with incompatible donors. This study provides large-scale evidence for the expansion of single-centre LDKT via KPD when national programmes do not exist.

Invasive fungal infections in renal transplant patients: a single center study.

BACKGROUND: Timely diagnosis of invasive fungal infections (IFI) in renal transplant (RT) patients on immunosuppression is often difficult, jeopardizing their life and graft. We reported IFI and their causative fungal agents in post-RT patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective 6-year clinical study carried out from 2010 to 2015 on 1900 RT patients. Clinical data included patient-donor demographics, time to onset of infection, risk factors and graft function in terms of serum creatinine (SCr). To identify IFI, we examined bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), blood, tissue, and wound swab samples by conventional mycological methods. RESULTS: IFI were diagnosed in 30 (1.56%) patients on triple immunosuppression, mainly males (n = 25) with mean age of 36.57 ± 11.9 years at 13.12 ± 18.35 months post-RT. Aspergillus species was identified in 11 BAL, one tissue, and one wound specimen each, 30.76% of these were fatal and 15.38% caused graft loss; Candida albicans was in nine BAL, four blood, two wound swab, and one tissue specimens, 25% of these were fatal and 25% had graft loss and one mucor in BAL which was fatal. Seven patients were diabetic, 10 had superadded cytomegalovirus infection, and 15 were anti-rejected. CONCLUSION: IFI are associated with increased morbidity and mortality in RT patients. Triple immunosuppression, broad spectrum antibiotics for ≥ two weeks, diabetes and superadded infection are added risks for these patients. Prevention, early diagnosis, and appropriate management are necessary to improve their prognosis.

Six end-stage renal disease patients benefited from first non-simultaneous single center 6-way kidney exchange transplantation in India.

AIM: To avoid desensitization protocols and ABO incompatible kidney transplantation (KT) due to high costs and increased risk of infections from intense immunosuppression. METHODS: We present institutional ethical review board - approved study of single center 6-way kidney exchange transplantation. The participants comprised ABO incompatibility (n = 1); positive cross-match and/or presence of donor specific antibody (n = 5). The average time required from registration in kidney paired donation (KPD) registry to find suitable donors was 45 d and time required to perform transplants after legal permission was 2 mo. RESULTS: Graft and patient survival were 100%, and 100%, respectively. One patient had biopsy-proven acute borderline T cell rejection (Banff update 2013, type 3). Mean serum creatinine was 0.8 mg/dL at 9 mo follow-up. The waiting time in KPD was short as compared to deceased donor KT. CONCLUSION: We report first non-simultaneous, single center, 6-way kidney exchange transplantation from India. Our experience will encourage other centers in India to undertake this practice.

Increasing access to kidney transplantation for sensitized recipient through three-way kidney paired donation with desensitization: The first Indian report.

The combination of kidney paired donation (KPD) with desensitization represents a promising method of increasing the rate of living donor kidney transplantation (LDKT) in immunologically challenging patients. Patients who are difficult to match and desensitize due to strong donor specific antibody are may be transplanted by a combination of desensitization and KPD protocol with more immunologically favorable donor. We present our experience of combination of desensitization protocol with three-way KPD which contributed to successful LDKT in highly sensitized end stage renal disease patient. All recipients were discharged with normal and stable allograft function at 24 mo follow up. We believe that this is first report from India where three-way KPD exchange was performed with the combination of KPD and desensitization. The combination of desensitization protocol with KPD improves access and outcomes of LDKT.

Dental rehabilitation of a patient with dentinogensis imperfecta: a clinical report.

This clinical report describes the multidiscipline treatment for a 19-year-old service member who entered the military diagnosed with dentinogenesis imperfecta. The patient presented with multiple teeth with extensive dental caries, considerable sensitivity, and an inability to function due to the extent of the dental disease. The goal of the treatment was to restore function and aesthetics. A combined treatment approach was initiated which involved prosthodontics, periodontics, and dental implant therapies. Functional and aesthetic results were achieved.

Prosthodontic rehabilitation of a patient with partial anodontia: a clinical report.

This clinical report describes the prosthodontic rehabilitation of a 22-year-old female patient diagnosed with partial anodontia. A combined dental therapy approach was used and included endodontic therapy and a post-and-core buildup on the mandibular left canine, fabrication of a mandibular removable denture, and fabrication of maxillary fixed restorations. Canine-protected occlusion was developed in the final restorations to decrease lateral forces on the posterior dentition. Protrusive guidance was evenly distributed across the maxillary and mandibular incisors. Functional and esthetic results were achieved.