The Use of Hepatitis C Virus–Positive Organs in Hepatitis C Virus–Negative Recipients

Utilising organs from hepatitis C virus PCR‐positive donors in Western Australia

“…Recipient SVR rates have been consistently very high, including in liver recipients. 1 We were not able to clarify why donor livers were not utilised from our three HCV PCR-positive donors. Rare cases of hepatitis, fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis, cryoglobulinaemic glomerulonephritis and acute cellular rejection attributed to donor-derived HCV infection occurred when recipient treatment was delayed.…”

“…Rare cases of hepatitis, fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis, cryoglobulinaemic glomerulonephritis and acute cellular rejection attributed to donor-derived HCV infection occurred when recipient treatment was delayed. 1,5 Overall, receipt of an organ from a HCV PCR-positive donor does not appear to influence organ outcome. A large retrospective US cohort study examined kidney transplant recipients from 2551 HCV PCR-positive and 43 276 HCV PCR-negative donors.…”

“…donor pool, trials of HCV PCR-positive/recipientnegative (D+RÀ) transplantation have been undertaken where recipients are treated with DAA HCV therapy. 1 Early trials treated recipients after they had a positive HCV PCR test, sometimes waiting until they were outpatients or post-surgical issues had settled several weeks after transplant. Delays in insurance approval were also an influence on DAA timing after transplant in the United States.…”

“…Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is almost universally transmitted to solid organ recipients from a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-positive donor. 1 This was a barrier to transplantation when therapy included interferon, which promoted organ rejection. With the advent of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy to recipients, organ donation from PCRpositive donors has been increasing, with very high rates of sustained virological response (SVR) and equivalent graft outcomes.…”

“…With the advent of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy to recipients, organ donation from PCRpositive donors has been increasing, with very high rates of sustained virological response (SVR) and equivalent graft outcomes. [1][2][3] We transplanted six solid organs from three HCV PCR-positive donors in the period 2018-2023, with donor genotype 1a infection, viral load range between 5.7 and 7.35 log 10 IU/mL. Donors were 30-50 years old.…”