Development of Antibodies Against Transplant Kidney After Infection

Kidney transplantation is the best method of renal replacement in patients with irreversible renal failure. One of the biggest problems today is premature loss of function of the transplanted kidney. This occurs most often on the basis of chronic humoral rejection. This is the immune response to the kidney, in which the specific antibodies play a crucial role (both against the HLA and the non-HLA system). The aim of this study is to analyze one of the situations where the production of antibodies can begin to occur. This is a serious acute infection (bacterial, viral, or fungal), where it is necessary to significantly reduce doses of immunosuppressives. At the time of reduced immunosuppression, the immune system can recognize the transplanted kidney as foreign to the human body and begin to fight against it. In this study, the investigators will monitor antibodies against the transplanted kidney in patients with severe acute infection. A serious infection in this study is one that requires acute hospitalization and reduced doses of immunosuppressive drugs. The researchers will measure the antibodies in the blood upon admission and then in 5 weeks.