Early experience with the use of hepatitis C antibody-positive, nucleic acid testing-negative donors in lung transplantation

Resource type
Journal Article
Authors/contributors
Title
Early experience with the use of hepatitis C antibody-positive, nucleic acid testing-negative donors in lung transplantation
Abstract
Historically, potential lung donors who have detectable antibodies to hepatitis C virus have been declined by most centers due to concern for possible disease transmission. We sought to evaluate hepatitis C viral transmission rates from donors who were known to be HCV Ab positive but HCV NAT negative. We performed a single-center retrospective review of a prospectively collected database for lung transplant recipients at our center including HCV Ab+NAT- donors (approved January 2017). Donor and recipient demographic data were compiled, and records were queried to ascertain rate of seroconversion. During the study period (1/1/17 to 8/9/17), a total of 64 recipients underwent lung transplantation. Thirteen (20%) donors were HCV Ab+NAT-. All recipients of HCV Ab+NAT- grafts were HCV Ab- at the time of transplant. Recipients of grafts from HCV Ab+NAT- donors underwent protocol NAT at 2 and 12 months and all are NAT- to date. One recipient developed reactive HCV Ab at 6 months post-transplant. Follow-up NAT showed HCV RNA to be undetectable. To date, use of HCV Ab+NAT- donors in lung transplantation has yielded favorable outcomes, with evidence of one transient seroconversion suggesting this practice may increase access to life-saving transplantation to those in need.
Publication
Clinical Transplantation
Date
2019
Volume
33
Issue
3
Pages
e13476
Accessed
3/31/19, 9:21 AM
ISSN
1399-0012
Language
en
Library Catalog
Wiley Online Library
License
© 2019 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Citation
Watson, J., Mulvihill, M. S., Cox, M. L., Rich, L., Wolfe, C. R., Gray, A., & Hartwig, M. G. (2019). Early experience with the use of hepatitis C antibody-positive, nucleic acid testing-negative donors in lung transplantation. Clinical Transplantation, 33(3), e13476. https://doi.org/10.1111/ctr.13476