DETECTION OF OCCULT DISEASE IN TISSUE DONORS BY ROUTINE AUTOPSY

The transmission of infectious and neoplastic diseases is a potential risk of tissue allografting. In this study, we analyzed the occurrence of occult disease in tissue donors as detected by standard screening and autopsy. Whereas 18% of the potential donors initially evaluated w ere eliminated on the basis of their medical and social histories, lab oratory screening and autopsy revealed that an additional 9 % of tissu e donors had undetected, transmissible disease that prohibited tissue donation. This report emphasizes once again the risk of occult disease being transplanted with grafts and the need for autopsy to reduce the likelihood of this occurring. If donor selection, appropriate screeni ng tests, and autopsy are carefully carried out, the risk of transmitt ing diseases from tissue allografts can be kept to a minimum.