@article {1561,
	title = {Transmission of hepatitis C virus to several organ and tissue recipients from an antibody-negative donor},
	journal = {Ann Intern Med},
	volume = {143},
	year = {2005},
	note = {Tugwell, Barna D Patel, Priti R Williams, Ian T Hedberg, Katrina Chai, Feng Nainan, Omana V Thomas, Ann R Woll, Judith E Bell, Beth P Cieslak, Paul R Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov{\textquoteright}t Research Support, U.S. Gov{\textquoteright}t, P.H.S. United States Annals of internal medicine Ann Intern Med. 2005 Nov 1;143(9):648-54.},
	month = {37196},
	pages = {648 - 54},
	edition = {38659},
	abstract = {BACKGROUND: Although hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission through tissue transplantation has been rarely reported, a donor with undetected viremia may infect several recipients. A patient developed acute hepatitis C shortly after tissue transplantation. Ninety-one tissues or organs had been recovered from the donor. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the donor was the source of infection and the extent of transmission to other organ and tissue recipients. DESIGN: Descriptive epidemiologic study; serum testing for HCV infection. SETTING: Recipients were located in 16 states and 2 other countries. PARTICIPANTS: Donor and graft recipients. MEASUREMENTS: Hepatitis C virus infection was defined as the presence of anti-HCV or HCV RNA. The authors determined the genetic relatedness of viral isolates from the donor and recipients by genotype comparison and quasi-species analysis. RESULTS: The donor was anti-HCV-negative but was HCV RNA-positive (genotype 1a). Forty persons received transplants during 22 months. Five persons were HCV-infected before transplantation or had a genotype other than 1a, and 5 persons had no post-transplantation serum specimens available. Of the remaining 30 recipients, HCV infection occurred in 8 recipients: 3 of 3 organ recipients, 1 of 2 saphenous vein recipients, 1 of 3 tendon recipients, and 3 of 3 tendon with bone recipients. These 8 recipients had viral isolates genetically related to those of the donor. No cases occurred in recipients of skin (n = 2), cornea (n = 1), or irradiated bone (n = 16). LIMITATIONS: Post-transplantation serum specimens were unavailable for 5 recipients. CONCLUSIONS: An anti-HCV-negative donor was the source of HCV infection for 8 recipients of organs or tissues. Although HCV transmission from anti-HCV-negative donors is probably uncommon, changes in donor screening to include routine testing for HCV RNA merit further consideration to improve the safety of transplantation.},
	keywords = {*Tissue Donors, Female, Hepacivirus / *immunology / isolation \& purification, Hepatitis Antibodies / *blood, Hepatitis C / *transmission / virology, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Organ Transplantation / *standards, RNA, Viral / blood, Tissue and Organ Procurement / standards, Tissue Transplantation / *standards, Viremia / diagnosis},
	issn = {1539-3704 (Electronic) 0003-4819 (Linking)},
	doi = {143/9/648 [pii]},
	author = {Tugwell,B. D. and Patel,P. R. and Williams,I. T. and Hedberg,K. and Chai,F. and Nainan,O. V. and Thomas,A. R. and Woll,J. E. and Bell,B. P. and Cieslak,P. R.}
}
