Public hospitals in Hong Kong are planning to consider testing Hepatitis E virus among organ donors after five transplant patients have been infected with a liver disease.
The infected patients, aged six to 66, contracted hepatitis E virus after receiving new organs from a deceased donor, Queen Mary Hospital on Monday. This is the first ever worldwide case as many as five organ recipients had got the infection in a single case.
According to the South China Morning Post, the infection has been revealed as two men - aged 59 and 66 - were found to have abnormal liver functions in early July and August. Both of the undergone transplants in February and were diagnosed with the same disease.
The investigators reached out to three other transplant patients who had received organs from the same donor, but one of the patients had already died. However, as per Professor Yuen Kwok-yung from the University of Hong Kong's microbiology department, the death of the patient wasn't caused by hepatitis E.
On February 28, this patient received a bilateral lung transplant but later suffered from post-operative pneumonia and pleural effusion, a build-up of fluid in the chest area. On August 18, the patient died with traces of the zoster encephalitis virus - a different disease - and related antigens found in his blood and skin.
"The university team believes that the infection channel is the donated organs," Yuen said, referring to the hepatitis E virus case of five patients. "The virus can be transmitted to humans from animals such as pigs and deer."
Yuen further added that this is not the first case a patient contracted hepatitis E from organ donation. However, this is the first case as many as five patients had been infected.
As for the treatment, Yuen said Ribavirin - an antiviral medication - is effective for hepatitis E, where it is expected to have about 80 percent success rate. All four patients were put on Ribavirin treatment from last Friday to Monday.
The plan to consider testing hepatitis E among organ donor
According to Dr. Luk Che-chung, the chief executive of the Hong Kong West hospital cluster, there will be an expert group that would discuss the solution regarding the case - including testing of organ donors. The group will explore if the organ is still suitable for transplants and what treatment should follow.
Yuen said that Britain is the only country that conducts such test as there is no such requirement in the United States or Australia. He also noted that it's important to discuss if organs infected with hepatitis E could still be used in transplants, provided patients get early treatment.
The Hospital Authority and the Centre for Health Protection are aware of the case. They are now in contact with the affected patients to provide help and treatment.
