Complications of Stem Cell Transplantation that Affect Infections in Stem Cell Transplant Recipients, with Analogies to Patients with Hematologic Malignancies

This article discusses the complications of hematopoietic stem cell transplantion (HSCT) that affect infections in HSCT recipients, with analogies to patients with hematologic malignancies. Mucositis, with mucosal barrier disruption, is common and increases the risk of gram-positive and anaerobic bacterial, and fungal infections, and can evolve to typhlitis. Engraftment syndrome; graft-versus-host disease, hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome; and posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome can affect the infectious potential either directly from organ dysfunction or indirectly from specific treatment. Pulmonary infections can predispose to life threatening complications including diffuse alveolar hemorrhage, idiopathic pulmonary syndrome, bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome, and bronchiolitis obliterans with organizing pneumonia.