Urinary tract infections in renal transplant recipients at a quaternary care centre in Australia.

Background: Urinary tract infections (UTI) are the most common of infections after renal transplantation. The consequences of UTIs in this population are serious, with increased morbidity and hospitalisation rates as well as acute allograft dysfunction. UTIs may impair overall graft and patient survival.

Vitamin D and Infectious Diseases: Simple Bystander or Contributing Factor?

Vitamin D (VD) is a fat-soluble steroid essential for life in higher animals. It is technically a pro-hormone present in few food types and produced endogenously in the skin by a photochemical reaction. In recent decades, several studies have suggested that VD contributes to diverse processes extending far beyond mineral homeostasis.