Detection of infectious baboon cytomegalovirus after baboon-to-human liver xenotransplantation.
Xenotransplantation is considered to be a solution for the human donor shortage. However, there is a potential risk of transmitting animal infections from the transplanted organ. The known transmissibility and clinical significance of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection after allotransplantation led us to evaluate whether baboon cytomegalovirus (BCMV) transmission could occur after a baboon-to-human liver xenotransplant. We examined serial blood samples from a baboon liver recipient and isolated replication-competent CMV-like agents on days 29, 36, and 42 after xenotransplantation. BCMV and HCMV DNAs were detected in the day 29 isolate, while only HCMV DNA was detected in the other isolates. This is the first report of detecting a replication-competent virus from a source animal after xenotransplantation and is a concern with regard to potential zoonotic transmission to others.
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Allergy, Immunology, and Infectious Diseases, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA.
M G
MG
Michaels
F J
FJ
Jenkins
K
K
St  George
M A
MA
Nalesnik
T E
TE
Starzl
C R
CR
Rinaldo
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001483:Base Sequence; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000635:transmission* / Q000662:veterinary / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D015774:Ganciclovir / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008992:Monkey Diseases / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D010215:Papio / Q000821:virology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014779:Virus Replication; D015047:Zoonoses
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D015774:Ganciclovir