Summary of the guidelines for preventing opportunistic infections among hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients

This article contains highlights of "Guidelines for Preventing Opportunistic Infections among Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients: Recommendations of the CDC, the Infectious Diseases Society of America, and the American Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation," which was published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. There are sections on the prevention of bacterial, viral, fungal, protozoal, and helminth infections and on hospital infection control, strategies for safe living following transplantation, immunizations, and hematopoietic stem cell safety. The guidelines are evidence-based, and prevention strategies are rated by both the strength of the recommendation and the quality of evidence that supports it. Recommendations are given for preventing cytomegalovirus disease with prophylactic or preemptive gancyclovir, herpes simplex virus disease with prophylactic acyclovir, candidiasis with fluconazole, and Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Hopefully, following the recommendations made in the guidelines will reduce morbidity and mortality from opportunistic infections in hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients.