0000000000855420
AUTHOR
Christian Drosten
Survival After Transplantation of Corneas From a Rabies-Infected Donor
To examine the tissue samples of 2 corneal recipients from a rabies-infected donor for the presence of rabies to explain their survival.Interventional case series with a review of the literature. The explanted corneal donor buttons were examined via nested reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. The patients were followed up ophthalmologically and neurologically. Antirabies antibodies were measured in blood samples, and skin biopsies were examined by direct fluorescent antibody staining.Two patients received corneas from the same multiorgan donor. Six weeks after transplantation, 3 of the donor's organ recipients became symptomatic and rabies virus was confirmed in tissue from the …
Management and outcomes after multiple corneal and solid organ transplantations from a donor infected with rabies virus
BACKGROUND: This article describes multiple transmissions of rabies via transplanted solid organ from a single infected donor. The empirical Milwaukee treatment regimen was used in the recipients. METHODS: Symptomatic patients were treated by deep sedation (ketamine, midazolam, and phenobarbital), ribavirin, interferon, and active and passive vaccination. Viral loads and antibodies were continuously monitored. RESULTS: Recipients of both cornea and liver transplants developed no symptoms. The recipient of the liver transplant had been vaccinated approximately 20 years before transplantation. Two recipients of kidney and lung transplants developed rabies and died within days of symptomatic d…