The world's first liver transplant from a donor infected with HIV to an HIV-positive recipient was announced Wednesday by US doctors, three years after a US ban on such operations was overturned.
The procedure involved a deceased donor whose liver was transplanted into a patient who had been infected with the virus that causes AIDS more than 20 years ago, said doctors at Johns Hopkins University.
The same donor also gave her kidney to another patient for transplant.
"A couple of weeks ago we performed the first HIV-to-HIV liver transplant in the world, and the first HIV-to-HIV kidney transplant in the United States," Dorry Segev, professor of surgery at Johns Hopkins Medicine, told a press conference.
Similar HIV-to-HIV kidney transplant operations have already taken place in South Africa.
"This is a very exciting day for us," Segev added.
"But it is really only the beginning."
Both patients -- whose identities were not revealed -- are recovering well from their operations, the medical team said.
The kidney transplant patient has already left the hospital.
The donor's name was not released, but her family issued a statement describing her as a "very boisterous soul" who fought for justice.
"She was a daughter, a mother, an auntie, best friend and sister," it said.
"She was able to leave this world helping those underdogs she fought so hard for."
Thousands die while waiting
Under US law, it was illegal to use an organ from a donor infected with HIV for transplant until Congress passed the HOPE Act, which US President Barack Obama signed into law in 2013.
People with HIV have been able to get organs from HIV-negative donors, but due to the scarcity of organ donors, many of those waiting die before they can get a transplant.
About 122,000 people are on the transplant waiting list in the United States. Thousands of people die each year while they wait.
Segev said his research has shown that between 500 and 600 people with HIV -- and with organs healthy enough for donation -- die each year.
Now that their organs can be used for other people with HIV, some 1,000 lives may be saved annually, he said.
Still, the operations carry "unique risks," said Christine Durand, assistant professor of medicine and oncology at Johns Hopkins Medicine.
These risks include the possibility of being exposed to a second strain of HIV from the donor.
Doctors must also consider whether the donor has a resistant strain of the virus, she said.
While Johns Hopkins was the first to carry out the procedure, Segev said dozens of hospitals in the United States have enough experience with negative-to-positive transplants to learn the intricacies of doing positive-to-positive surgeries.
The announcement of the two operations was applauded by advocacy groups, including the HIV Medicine Association.
"For patients living with HIV, deceased donors with the same infection represent a unique source of organs holding the potential to save the lives of hundreds of HIV-infected patients struggling with liver and kidney failure each year," said a statement from HIVMA board chair Carlos del Rio.
"We look forward to seeing this medical breakthrough offer hope to more people living with HIV infection who are in need of organ transplants."
AFP
Thu Mar 31 2016
Similar HIV-to-HIV kidney transplant operations have already taken place in South Africa.
Inisiatif IHH Healthcare lancar pemasangan panel solar wajar jadi contoh - Fadillah Yusof
IHH Healthcare Malaysia mencatatkan pencapaian baharu dengan melancarkan inisiatif pemasangan panel solar di seluruh rangkaian hospitalnya sekali gus menjadikannya pelopor.
Che'gu Bard akan didakwa di Johor Bahru esok
Che'gu Bard berkata, ia dipercayai berhubung kenyataannya mengenai isu kasino di Forest City, Johor.
Ahmad Zahid ucap tahniah kepada Farah Ain
Ahmad Zahid mengucapkan tahniah kepada atlet boling padang Nor Farah Ain Abdullah yang muncul juara pada Kejohanan Boling Padang Dalam Dewan Dunia 2024.
Raih RM31 juta sejak ditayangkan! Sheriff kini filem no. 1 di Malaysia
Berita gembira ini turut disokong oleh abang Syafiq, Syamsul Yusof yang turut bangga dengan kejayaan naskhah yang dihasilkan adiknya.
Letupan bom Sungai Golok: PDRM tingkat kawalan keselamatan sempadan Malaysia-Thailand
PDRM mempertingkatkan kawalan keselamatan di sempadan Malaysia-Thailand susulan insiden letupan bom dan bunyi tembakan di Sungai Golok.
Pemain ragbi meninggal dunia selepas perlawanan pasukan pilihan MB Kedah
Seorang bekas pemain Sukma Kedah meninggal dunia selepas menyertai perlawanan pertunjukan pasukan pilihan Menteri Besar Kedah pada Ahad.
OCC: Masih banyak usaha perlu dibuat dalam isu hak kanak-kanak
Masih banyak yang perlu dilakukan kerana Malaysia masih ketinggalan berbanding negara lain dalam menangani isu penderaan dan masalah sosial melibatkan kanak-kanak.
iPad Pro mungkin dijana dengan cip Apple M4 terbaharu, fokus ciri AI
Cip Apple M4 dijangka memfokuskan kepada keupayaan enjin neural yang disertakan bersama dengannya membolehkan ia menawarkan ciri AI yang lebih baik.
Lebih 840,000 permohonan untuk London Marathon 2025 pecah rekod dunia
Jumlah permohonan untuk menyertai larian TCS London Marathon tahun depan telah memecahkan rekod dunia.
WEF: Anwar jumpa 50 pemimpin industri & perniagaan, yakin pelabur bernilai tinggi pilih Malaysia
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim menzahirkan keyakinan lebih banyak pelabur bernilai tinggi akan memilih Malaysia sebagai destinasi pelaburan mengikut jejak langkah syarikat-syarikat gergasi seperti Tesla, AWS, Infineon dan Nvidia.