Blood Transfusion Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Blood Transfusion, including details on blood donation, blood types, leukemia.

West Nile virus infection after cardiac transplantation.

Murtagh B, Wadia Y, Messner G, Allison P, Harati Y, Delgado R

Department of Cardiology, Texas Heart Institute and St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, Houston, Texas 77225-0345, USA.

West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne RNA Flavivirus infection transmitted to humans and other vertebrates, mainly by the Culex species of mosquito. Since the mid-1990s, the frequency and apparent clinical severity of West Nile virus outbreaks have increased. We report the case of a patient who developed West Nile virus encephalitis shortly after undergoing cardiac transplantation. Clinicians should be aware of the possibility of West Nile virus infection in transplant recipients and in patients receiving blood transfusions.

Published 13 June 2005 in J Heart Lung Transplant, 24(6): 774-6.
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