Xenotransplantation: an overview of microbiological risks and potentials for risk management.
Xenotransplantation is the use of animal organs, tissues or cells for transplantion into humans to treat a variety of medical conditions. If proven efficacious, the technique could be used as one means of alleviating the disparity between the growing demand for transplantable organs, tissues and cells, and the availability of human-origin transplants world-wide. Just as the practicality and efficacy of the technology need to be investigated, so too does the potential for associated infectious disease risk. While much remains to be learned about the microbiological risk associated with xenotransplantation, the elements to be incorporated into xenotransplantation risk management schemes can be considered, using what is currently known about the infectious agents potentially relevant to the xenotransplantation setting.
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Q-One Biotech Ltd, University of Glasgow, Todd Campus, West of Scotland Science Park, Glasgow G20 0XA, United Kingdom.
Witt
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D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D000818:Animals; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors; D012308:Risk Management; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000635:transmission; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000635:transmission; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000635:transmission*