Balamuthia can be transmitted through organ transplantation with an observed incubation time of 17-24 days. Clinicians should be aware of Balamuthia as a cause of encephalitis with high rate of fatality, and should notify public health departments and evaluate transplant recipients from donors with signs of possible encephalitis to facilitate early diagnosis and targeted treatment. Organ procurement organizations and transplant centers should be aware of the potential for Balamuthia infection in donors with possible encephalitis and also assess donors carefully for signs of neurologic infection that may have been misdiagnosed as stroke or as noninfectious forms of encephalitis.
Background-Little attention has focused on gender differences in cardiac comorbidities and outcomes in patients undergoing orthotropic heart transplant.
Results: A total of 2953 patients were listed for HLT and 1142 patients received HLT during this period. Post-transplant survival for patients who received HLT during or after 2001 was significantly better than those prior to 2001 at 1 year (73% vs. 63%) and 3 years (56% vs. 49%, p= 0.0001). Male patients, recipients with elevated bilirubin, on ECMO support and with Eisenmenger syndrome had worse post-transplant outcomes. Donor age also affected post-transplant survival. Conclusion: The outcomes of HLT have improved in the last decade but the number of HLT performed remains low. Donor age, recipient bilirubin, ECMO support and Eisenmenger syndrome appear to be the risk factors for poor outcomes with HLT. Special attention to the selection of donors and recipients for HLT will be needed to optimize post-transplant outcomes and to maximize the best use of all available donor organs.
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