Hi -
To get an accurate answer to your question I telephoned UNOS and spoke
with an organ placement specialist. The United Network for Organ
Sharing, a nonprofit charitable organization, maintains the nation’s
organ transplant waiting list under contract with the Health Resources
and Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services. Located in Richmond, Virginia, UNOS brings together, under
that contract and on behalf of the Organ Procurement and
Transplantation Network (OPTN), medical professionals, transplant
recipients and donor families to develop organ transplantation policy.
According to the UNOS specialist, if the receipient also were infected
with herpes, it is possible that the transplant might be considered,
but it would be up to the transplant surgeon to decide.
Transplanting an organ from an infected donor would be out of the
question if the receipent were not also infected because organ
receipients are immuno-suppressed and therefore the "herpes would go
crazy" and possibly lead to death.
You can reach UNOS by telephone at 1-800-292-9537
or visit their website at http://www.unos.org/frame_default.asp
You can find additional information on organ donation at
http://www.organdonor.gov/
a U.S. government information site
The American Medical Association Organ and Tissue Donation site is
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/1945.html
Search strategy: UNOS; organ donation
Please submit a question clarification request if I can be of further
assistance.
Nellie Bly |
