A Q Fever Outbreak in the Netherlands: Consequences for Tissue Banking

Seroprevalence of Coxiella burnetii antibodies and chronic Q fever among post-mortal and living donors of tissues and cells from 2010 to 2015 in the Netherlands

After a large Q fever outbreak in the Netherlands in the period from 2007 to 2010, the risk of Q fever transmission through tissue and cell transplantation from undiagnosed chronic Q fever cases became a potential issue. Aim: We aimed to evaluate the risk of Q fever transmission through tissue and cell transplantation. Methods: We performed a retrospective observational cohort study among 15,133 Dutch donors of tissues and stem cells from 2010 to 2015 to assess seroprevalence of Coxiella burnetii antibodies, to identify factors associated with presence of C. burnetii antibodies, and to assess the proportion of undiagnosed chronic Q fever cases. Results: The study population consisted of 9,478 (63%) femoral head donors, 5,090 (34%) post-mortal tissue donors and 565 (4%) cord blood donors. Seroprevalence of C. burnetii antibodies gradually decreased after the outbreak, from 2.1% in 2010 to 1.4% in 2015, with a significant trend in time (p < 0.001). Of 301 seropositive donors, seven (2.3%) were newly detected with chronic Q fever (0.05% of all screened donors). Conclusion: This study shows that seroprevalence of C. burnetii antibodies among donors of tissues and cells in the Netherlands after 2014 was similar to pre-outbreak levels in the general population. The proportion of newly detected chronic Q fever patients among donors of tissues and cells was smaller than 0.1%. This study may prompt discussion on when to terminate the screening programme for chronic Q fever in donors of tissues and cells in the Netherlands.

The risk of transmitting cutaneous malignancy through skin transplantation: a literature-based risk assessment

According to the European Union Tissues and Cells Directives donation of tissue is contraindicated in the presence of or a previous history of malignant disease, with the exception of cutaneous basal cell carcinoma. Skin cancer is the most common cancer. Due to ultraviolet light exposure and increasing life expectancy an increasing prevalence of malignant or premalignant skin lesions is observed, which may result in a decline of the availability of skin for transplantation. A risk assessment based on published studies and expert opinion was performed in order to investigate the risk of transmitting malignant or premalignant skin lesions through tissue transplantation, and more particular through skin transplantation. The scarcity of data concerning cancer transmission in tissue transplantation was challenging. Circumstantial evidence, available for organ transplantation, was used to develop the following policy proposal for skin transplantation and cutaneous tumours. Malignant melanoma is an absolute contraindication for the donation of skin and also of other tissues, whereas, non-lesional skin and other tissues of a donor with non-melanoma skin cancer (basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma) or with a premalignant skin lesion can be considered for transplantation. The above mentioned protocol proposal might serve as a prototype for analogous protocols for non-cutaneous malignancies.

Screening of post-mortem tissue donors for Coxiella burnetii infection after large outbreaks of Q fever in The Netherlands

BACKGROUND

After the largest outbreaks of Q fever ever recorded in history occurred in the Netherlands, concern arose that Coxiella may be transmitted via donated tissues of latent or chronically infected donors. The Dutch Health Council recently advised to screen tissue donors, donating high risk tissues, for Coxiella infection.

METHODS

After validation of an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) test for IgG antibodies against phase 2 of C. burnetii for use on post-mortem samples, serum samples of 1033 consecutive Dutch post-mortem tissue donors were tested for IgG antibodies against phase 2 of C. burnetii. Confirmation of reactive results was done by immunofluorescence assay (IFA). All available tissues (corneas, heart valves, skin and bone marrow) from donors with IgG reactivity were tested for presence of Coxiella DNA by PCR. Risk factors for IgG reactivity were investigated.

RESULTS

After validation of the tests for use on post-mortem samples, 50/1033 donors (4.8%) screened positive for phase 2 anti-Coxiella IgG by EIA, and 31 were confirmed by IFA (3.0%). One donor showed a serological profile compatible with chronic infection. All tested tissues (25 corneas, 6 heart valves, 4 skin and 3 bone marrow) from donors with IgG reactivity tested negative for the presence of Coxiella DNA. Except for living in a postal code area with a high number of Q fever notifications, no risk factors for IgG reactivity were found.

CONCLUSIONS

The strong correlation between notifications and seroprevalence confirms that the used assays are sufficiently specific for use on post-mortem samples, although one has to be aware of differences between batches. Thus, this study provides a validated method for screening tissue donors for infection with Coxiella burnetii that can be used in future outbreaks.