A controlled study of hepatitis C transmission by organ transplantation

Underutilization of Hepatitis C-Positive Kidneys for Hepatitis C-Positive Recipients

“…(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13). However, this practice is considered a safe alternative to dialysis treatment, and several singlecenter studies have shown that HCV(+) recipients derive a survival benefit from KT when compared with remaining on dialysis (14)(15)(16).…”

Hepatitis C viral infection in the immunosuppressed patient

“…Consequently, data on the natural history of HCV infection acquired at the time of transplantation is limited. [19][20] Recipients of infected organs almost always become viraemic. In one study liver disease defined only as abnormal liver biochemistry was observed in 50% of pateints.…”

“…In one study liver disease defined only as abnormal liver biochemistry was observed in 50% of pateints. 19 However, an early 3-to 5-year graft and patient survival is no different from transplanted patients who have not acquired hepatitis C. 20 A case of rapidly progressive liver disease has been described in a cardiac transplant recipient in whom cirrhosis and liver failure developed within 5 years of cardiac transplantation, but no data on pre-transplantation liver status were available. 21 Significant histological liver disease has also been documented in a subset of patients within 5 years of acquiring infection at the time of receiving a liver transplant, which may translate into increased morbidity 5 to 10 years from transplantation.…”

The use of hepatitis C-infected grafts in liver transplantation

“…5 The New England Organ Bank retrospectively evaluated clinical outcomes of recipients of organs from HCV ϩ and HCV-negative (HCV ؊ ) donors. 6 Between 1986 and 1990, a total of 29 patients received organs from 13 HCV ϩ donors (determined by a first-generation enzyme-liked immunosorbent assay). They were compared with 74 recipients of grafts from 35 HCV Ϫ donors.…”

“…Median posttransplantation follow-ups for the HCV ϩ and HCV Ϫ groups were 42 and 49 months, and relative risk for the development of hepatitis in the HCV ϩ group was 4.37. 6 Using the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Liver Transplantation Database, Everhart et al 7 prospectively evaluated 702 liver transplant recipients and 604 donors who were tested for antibody to HCV, followed by recombinant immunoblot and HCV RNA confirmation by polymerase chain reaction. Fifteen donors were HCV ϩ by either antibody to HCV or polymerase chain reaction.…”