INFLUENCE OF CHEMICAL ALLOGRAFT PRESERVATION PROCEDURES ON THE HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS

Since chemically preserved allogenic transplants have an established p lace in reconstructive procedures, the possibility of transferring the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) with these transplants has been in tensively discussed, In this study the authors obtained brain and sple en samples from six HIV-infected cadavers and preserved them with Mert hiolate, Cialit, and formaldehyde. After preservation, the tissues wer e examined for proviral HIV-1 DNA (gag, pol, enu) using the polymerase chain reaction, Proviral sequences were clearly demonstrated after th e presentation procedure. The results of this study indicate that HIV remains in tissues that have been treated with Merthiolate, formaldehy de, or Cialit, Further investigations are necessary to determine if th e virus is in an inactivated or activated form, It can be concluded th at, because of the possible transmission of HIV by chemically preserve d homografts, serologic screening of donors should be mandatory.