HIV-INFECTION IN THE FIRST HEART-TRANSPLANTATION IN ITALY - FATAL OUTCOME - CASE-REPORT

A 46-year-old man with alcoholic dilated cardiomyopathy underwent hear t transplantation on November 14, 1985. It was the first cardiac trans plant in Italy and at that time no HIV antibody screening test was ava ilable in this country The patient remained in good health for 6 years postoperatively, with only one episode of rejection (type 3A). In Jun e 1992 he died of fulminant complications of AIDS and severe chronic r ejection. Neither the patient nor the organ donor belonged to any of t he known risk groups For HIV infection; a retrospective analysis revea led that perioperative blood transfusions had been the vectors of tran smission.