Late last month, Gift of Hope was notified by one of its affiliated transplant centers of a potential disease transmission from organs procured from a donor earlier this year. A recipient of an organ from this donor recently tested positive for HIV and HCV .
In response, in addition to immediately reviewing the records of the donation, Gift of Hope sent a serum sample from the donor to an independent Laboratory for further testing.
As the screening tests performed at the time of the donation were negative, based on information available, the likely circumstance is that this donor was potentially in a window period before the routine screening tests could indicate the presence of disease. These initial test results were later validated by an independent Laboratory.
However, a different testing method also employed by the independent Laboratory in recent weeks indicated the presence of HIV and HCV.
Information obtained through the medical/social history of the donor at the time of donation indicated high risk behavior. It is routine practice to conduct this screening on all potential donor cases. Information provided through this medical/social history helps identify risk factors for potential disease transmission. These risk factors were communicated to those transplant centers considering organs from this donor.
Four organs were recovered from the donor and transplanted into waiting recipients. The remaining three patients also have tested positive for HIV and HCV.
Gift of Hope is working closely with the CDC, Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), HRSA, UNOS and the involved transplant centers to confirm the source of the disease transmission and ensure that affected patients are fully supported.
Our mission has always been to save lives through organ donation, and we are deeply saddened by this circumstance. We appreciate the far-reaching impact this situation may have on patients and their families. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.