Viral Respiratory Tract Infection During the First Postoperative Year Is a Risk Factor for Chronic Rejection After Lung Transplantation

Magnusson, Jesper; Westin, Johan; Andersson, Lars-Magnus; Lindh, Magnus; Brittain-Long, Robin; Nordén, Rickard; Riise, Gerdt C.

A trained nurse obtained nasopharyngeal (NPH) samples using E-Swab (Copan, Brescia, Italy). The swab was put in a container with 1 mL of Amies medium and immediately transported to the laboratory or frozen at −80°C until analyzed. All NPH and BAL samples were tested using a multiplex real-time PCR panel for respiratory pathogens in addition samples were tested with real-time PCR for detection of Legionella pneumophila, Pneumocystis jirovecii and cytomegalovirus (CMV). Bronchoscopies for BAL were performed in a standardized manner (S2 http://links.lww.com/TXD/ A117). All NPH were performed before bronchoscopies and all bronchoscopies were performed using either laryngeal or tracheal tubes to avoid cross-contamination. All BAL samples were tested with conventional bacterial and fungal cultures. If serious infection was suspected, blood and urine cultures were also performed.