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West Nile Spread in Organ Transplants?

Aired September 02, 2002 - 14:14   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Illnesses in four organ transplant patients are raising new fears about the West Nile virus. Can it be spread by organ donation or by blood transfusions? Federal health officials are tackling those questions right how.
For more we turn to medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen.

Elizabeth, what can you tell us?

ELIZABETH COHEN, MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, what I can tell you is that if indeed it turns out that this organ donor transmitted West Nile virus to the people to whom she donated her organs, this would be the first case of human to human transmission of West Nile virus. Usually, people get it from mosquitoes bites.

Let's take a look at exactly what happened. It started here in Georgia. There was an accident victim. She was in a car accident. After she died, her organs were donated to four people. The first person developed encephalitis and died. Autopsy results are consistent with findings of West Nile virus. The second person developed encephalitis, and lab results showed that person did, indeed, have West Nile virus. The third person developed encephalitis, and lab work on that person is still pending. The fourth person developed a mild fever, and again, lab work on that person is still pending.

Now it might end here. This person only donated organs to four people, so it might end here. But it might not. There might actually be a even bigger problem. This organ donor, she received several transfusions, and the blood and blood products came from 37 different people, 37 different donors. Now if indeed this woman got West Nile virus from that blood, then that blood might also have been sent out to other people before public health officials could catch it, and those other people might also have caught West Nile virus from the blood. Of course, there are a lot of ifs here, that is what the CDC is work on right now because if that is the case, then that, obviously, is going to be a problem.

Now, of course, the first question that comes to mind is, Gee, why don't they just test blood donors for West Nile virus before they are allowed to give blood. I asked that question of Dr. James Hughes yesterday. He's the head of the infectious diseases branches of the Centers for Disease Control.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COHEN: When someone comes in to donate blood, is there any way to test their blood for the presence of West Nile virus?

JAMES HUGHES, INFECTIOUS DISEASES DIRECTOR: Not currently. At the time of blood donation today, there is not a test that could be used to screen an asymptomatic person in a reliable way for evidence of West Nile infection.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COHEN: So what we have here is a real medical mystery, and we are watching it unfold -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: That is a bit scary, that they can't even detect.

Now, Elizabeth, didn't the government and blood banks see this coming? Didn't they know that West Nile could have become a threat? What happened to preventive maintenance?

COHEN: Dr. Hughes said yes indeed, this was thought that theoretically, this could be a problem. West Nile virus has been in this country for three years, and they knew that theoretically the virus could be spread through organ or blood transplantation. However, what he says is, You know what, until now, it was an entirely theoretical possibility. Right now, we might have the first documented case. But he said we don't make things a priority until it's documented. We don't make things a priority when they are just theoretical. That is what he told me -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: So what could be next?

COHEN: Well, unfortunately, what could be next is if that organ donor contracted West Nile virus from that donated blood, they need to retrace that blood. They need to see where else it went. If it went other places, then other people may have caught West Nile virus from that blood.

PHILLIPS: Elizabeth Cohen -- thanks, Elizabeth.

COHEN: Thank you, Kyra.

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