Strategies to halt 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) spread for organ transplantation programs at the Sichuan Academy of Medical Science and Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, China

Am J Transplant. 2020 Jul;20(7):1837-1839. doi: 10.1111/ajt.15972. Epub 2020 Jun 11.

Abstract

During the 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak in China (from January 24 to March 11, 2020), our center performed 16 organ transplants (10 kidney, 4 liver, and 2 lung transplants) harvested from deceased donors. Regarding the strategies to prevent infections of SARS-CoV-2, we implemented specific measures for the donor and recipient management, as well as prevention of hospital-acquired infections. All 16 organ recipients had a favorable outcome without SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our approaches aiming to interrupt the spread of SARS-CoV-2 within the transplantation wards were successful, and allowed us to maintain the transplantation program for deceased liver, kidney, and lung organ recipients.

Keywords: clinical research/practice; infection and infectious agents; infection and infectious agents-viral; infectious disease; organ transplantation in general.

MeSH terms

  • Betacoronavirus
  • COVID-19
  • COVID-19 Testing
  • China / epidemiology
  • Clinical Laboratory Techniques
  • Communicable Disease Control
  • Coronavirus Infections / diagnosis
  • Coronavirus Infections / prevention & control*
  • Coronavirus Infections / transmission*
  • Cross Infection / prevention & control
  • Humans
  • Intensive Care Units
  • Kidney Transplantation
  • Liver Transplantation
  • Lung Transplantation
  • Organ Transplantation / methods
  • Organ Transplantation / trends*
  • Pandemics / prevention & control*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / prevention & control*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / transmission*
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Tissue Donors*
  • Treatment Outcome