title: Serologic Evaluation of Cornea Donors and Microbiologic Evaluation of Cornea Storage Media in an Eye Bank from Izmir, Turkey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our objective was to evaluate the serologic positivity of cornea donors and microbiologic positivity of cornea storage media at the Ege University Tissue and Cornea Bank, Izmir, Turkey.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively investigated the serologic blood sample and microbiological culture media analysis results of all cornea donors at Ege University Tissue and Cornea Bank between 2007 and 2015 with reference to age, sex, and cause of death of each donor.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age of the 955 deceased donors was 43.19 ± 15.89 years (range, 2-65 y). The mean postmortem time to blood sample removal and excision of the cornea tissue was 8.4 hours (range, 4-12 h). Serologic analyses showed that 855 donors (89.5%) were seronegative. The remaining donors were seropositive for hepatitis B (54 donors; 5.7%), human immunodeficiency (27 donors; 2.8%), hepatitis C (14 donors; 1.5%), and syphilis (5 donors; 0.5%) virus infections. Microbiologic analyses of the storage media were negative, with no microorganisms shown in 855 samples (89.5%). Candida species (32 donors; 3.4%), Escherichia coli (14 donors; 1.5%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (11 donors; 1.2%), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (11 donors; 1.2%), Enterobacter species (11 donors; 1.2%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (7 donors; 0.7%), Acinetobacter baumannii (6 donors; 0.6%), Proteus species (5 donors; 0.5%), and Corynebacterium species (3 donors; 0.3%) were the detected microorganisms in the infected storage media.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  False-positive serologic results among cornea donors were high. The incidence of false-positive results might be decreased by earlier blood removal from deceased donors and testing of all potential donors in intensive care units. Although rare, endophthalmitis after keratoplasty might be a devastating problem. In addition to serologic testing, microbiologic analyses of cornea storage media before transplant may be an effective way to prevent postoperative infectious complications.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Ophthalmology, Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Melis
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Palamar
authors.forename: Cumali
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Degirmenci
authors.forename: Ruchan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sertoz
authors.forename: Sohret
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aydemir
authors.forename: Sait
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Egrilmez
authors.forename: Ayse
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yagci
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification* / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016039:Corneal Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D005125:Eye Banks; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D015821:Eye Infections, Fungal / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D015828:Eye Infections, Viral / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009926:Organ Preservation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D019188:Organ Preservation Solutions / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012698:Serologic Tests; D014019:Tissue Donors; D014421:Turkey; D014780:Viruses / Q000145:classification* / Q000276:immunology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019188:Organ Preservation Solutions