FISHMAN JA; Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (41st : 2001 : Chicago, Ill.).
Abstr Intersci Conf Antimicrob Agents Chemother Intersci Conf Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2001 Dec 16-19; 41: abstract no. 2003.
Massachusetts Gen. Hosp., Harvard Med. Sch., Boston, MA
The clinical application of xenotransplantation expands the spectrum of infectious diseases confronted in allotransplantation to include diseases derived from other animal species. Concern has been raised about the potential introduction of zoonotic diseases into the transplant recipient. The term ``xenosis has been coined to describe these unique xenogeneic infections: xenograft-derived infections with animal-derived infectious agents which are not recognized to cause human infection under natural conditions. Questions of public health risk include evaluation of such potential introduction or development of previously unknown human pathogens into the general population via xenotransplantation. There are unique risks and benefits to each potential donor species. The major ``source animals under consideration for use in organ procurement for xenotransplantation are swine. It is possible, based on experience with allotransplants, to frame general microbiologic screening criteria applicable to the breeding of all potential ``donor species. The detection and cloning of a family porcine endogenous retroviruses infective for human cells (PERV), suggests that there is an, as yet, unquantifiable risk of xenogeneic infection for the xenograft recipient. It is likely that additional animal-derived human pathogens will be recognized. Significant microbiological benefits may also accrue via the relative resistance of non-human cells to many common human-derived pathogens and the broader availability of organs for the treatment of organ failure. It is now feasible to develop a scientific basis for substantiating and quantifying the infectious risks and benefits associated with xenotransplantation. These studies will enhance the safety of clinical xenotransplantation.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Animals
- Cloning, Organism
- Communicable Diseases
- Humans
- Infection
- Public Health
- Sus scrofa
- Swine
- Swine Diseases
- Transplantation, Heterologous
- surgery
- transplantation
Other ID:
UI: 102270686
From Meeting Abstracts