Significance of vaccination in kidney transplant recipients

Abstract

Vaccination against routine diseases is critical to kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) ； details of vaccines recommended for KTRs have been described in several publications. However, in busy clinical practice, KTRs may receive insufficient vaccinations. How much importance is attached to that situation? Vaccination certainly has enormous significance in disease prevention；however, in KTRs, we should take the significance of vaccination one step further. We must fully understand the relevance of infection, kidney dysfunction, and cardiovascular diseases. In other words, prevention of infection with vaccination undoubtedly results in retention of long-term kidney allograft function, reduction of cardiovascular diseases, and finally, improvement in the long-term outcomes of KTRs. Here we present a case to emphasize the significance of vaccination in KTRs. In this case, insufficient vaccination should be recognized as a serious problem. Conclusively, KTRs must be vaccinated to avoid exacerbation of long-term outcomes.