Expected rate of enterovirus D۶۸ infection among renal recipients with reference to pandemic H۱N۱ influenza/۲۰۰۹ virus infection; appraisal on ۲۵-year transplant registry data in Thailand

Enterovirus D۶۸ infection is a new emerging infectious disease among renal transplant recipients (۱). The acute neurological illness is reported as an unwanted complication of enterovirus D۶۸ infection among renal transplant recipients (۱). In fact, enterovirus D۶۸ infection is observable worldwide and it primarily present as respiratory illness. In Thailand, the infection is also observable and the main clinical problem is the respiratory tract infection (۲). In the recent report by Thongpan et al, the concurrence between enterovirus D۶۸ and pandemic H۱N۱ influenza/۲۰۰۹ virus is common (۳). The observation on five pandemic H۱N۱ influenza/۲۰۰۹ virus infections with ۲۵ co-incidence enterovirus D۶۸ infections is reported (۳).Here, the authors tried to estimate the magnitude of enterovirus D۶۸ infection among renal recipients. The ۲۵-year transplant registry data in Thailand is reappraised. According to the national registry data, during ۲۵-year period from ۱۹۸۷ to ۲۰۱۲, there are ۳۸۰۸ kidney recipients (۴). During the same period, there are ۲ cases of pandemic H۱N۱ influenza/۲۰۰۹ virus infections among Thai renal recipients (۵). The rate of pandemic H۱N۱ influenza/۲۰۰۹ virus infection among renal recipients is hereby equal to ۰.۰۵۳%. Referring to the previously mentioned data on the concurrence between enterovirus D۶۸ and pandemic H۱N۱ influenza/۲۰۰۹ virus in Thailand, the expected rate of enterovirus D۶۸ infection among renal recipients will be equal to ۰.۲۶۵%. Since there is still no routine screening for expected enterovirus D۶۸ infection in our setting, the mentioned possible enterovirus D۶۸ infection might be an important hidden problem for the renal recipient.