Donor to Recipient Transmission of SARS-CoV-2
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https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ajt.16532
We describe a case of proven transmission of SARS‐CoV‐2 from lung donor to recipient. The donor had no clinical history or findings suggestive of infection with SARS‐CoV‐2 and tested negative by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) on a nasopharyngeal (NP) swab obtained within 48 hours of procurement. Lower respiratory tract testing was not performed. The recipient developed fever, hypotension and pulmonary infiltrates on post‐transplant day 3, and RT‐PCR testing for SARS‐CoV‐2 on an NP swab specimen was non‐reactive, but positive on bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid. One thoracic surgeon present during the transplantation procedure developed COVID‐19. Sequence analysis of isolates from donor BAL fluid (obtained at procurement), the recipient, and the infected thoracic surgeon proved donor origin of recipient and health care worker infection. No other organs were procured from this donor.
