Infection Control, Prophylaxis, and Vaccinations in Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Recipients

Infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in hematopoietic cell transplant recipients. Hence, implementation of infection control and prophylaxis measures is an indispensable component for preventing infections in any transplant program. In this chapter, we review the main infection control and prevention strategies, including environmental controls within the healthcare settings and isolation precautions, specific-pathogen screening tests, and antimicrobial prophylaxis consisting of antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal to reduce the bacterial, fungal, viral, and parasitic infections that could occur among transplant patients. We also discuss the immunization of this patient population to minimize the risk of vaccine-preventable diseases. Despite improvements and advances in preventive practices, infection remains an important risk to transplant recipients, and consequently robust adherence to these recommendations is required to improve patient care and reduce infectious risk in hematopoietic cell transplant recipients.