Further complexities in interpreting the serologic responses in HIV-negative recipients of HIV-positive organs

HIV and Solid Organ Transplantation: Where Are we Now

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

We review the international evolution of HIV and solid organ transplantation over 30 years. We emphasise recent developments in solid organ transplantation from HIV-infected to HIV-uninfected individuals, and their implications.

RECENT FINDINGS

In 2017, Johannesburg, South Africa, a life-saving partial liver transplant from an HIV-infected mother to her HIV-uninfected child was performed. This procedure laid the foundation not only for consideration of HIV-infected individuals as living donors, but also for the possibility that HIV-uninfected individuals could receive organs from HIV-infected donors. Recent advances in this field are inclusion of HIV-infected individuals as living organ donors and the possibility of offering HIV-uninfected individuals organs from HIV-infected donors who are well-controlled on combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). The large number of HIV-infected individuals on cART is an unutilised source of otherwise eligible living organ donors. HIV-positive-to-HIV-negative organ transplantation has become a reality, providing possible new therapeutic options to address extreme organ shortages.