Background: Potential deceased organ donors are screened for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) with serologic tests and nucleic acid tests (NATs). The results of these tests on the utilization of donors have not been directly measured.
Methods: Twenty-six organ procurement organizations (OPOs) provided primary HIV, HBV, and HCV screening results and utilization information for donor referrals evaluated from 2004 to 2017. Additional information regarding donor organ utilization was obtained from the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network database. Data were analyzed using logistic regression.
Results: Test results were submitted for 38 166 potential deceased organ donors; 31 (0.1%) were HIV NAT-negative but seropositive, 5.2% were HBV core antibody-positive and NAT-negative, while 1.8% were HCV antibody-positive and NAT-negative. Organ utilization of HBV and/or HCV NAT-negative organs increased over time despite positive antibody status.
Conclusions: Nucleic acid test detected infections in seronegative donors, especially for HCV. The use of NAT for deceased donor screening correlated with increased utilization of donor organs.
Keywords: HIV; deceased organ donor; hepatitis b virus; hepatitis c virus; organ utilization; screening.
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