Increasing Trends in Transplantation of HCV-Positive Livers Into Uninfected Recipients

Abstract

The introduction of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) agents and the opioid epidemic have resulted in an increased interest in liver transplantation (LT) of organs from donors with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related viremia.¹ In March of 2015, the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network/United Network for Organ Sharing (OPTN/UNOS) implemented a policy to perform HCV nucleic acid testing (NAT) in all HCV-seropositive donors. An open-label, single-center experience with 10 patients using a multistep informed consent reported successful transplantation of HCV-seropositive viremic (HCV-V) kidneys into HCV-seronegative recipients.² Subsequently, a case was reported in which an HCV-V liver was transplanted into a HCV-seronegative recipient.³ In collaboration with OPTN/UNOS, we identified cases in which HCV-V deceased donor livers were transplanted into HCV-seronegative recipients.