Health officials studying West Nile transplant

Published

Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/01/national/01FLOR.html

Three of four patients who received organs from one donor have developed encephalitis and one has developed the West Nile virus. Officials say the incident appears to show that the disease can be transmitted through organ transplants.

New York Times, Sept. 1, 2002

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Specializes in Community Health Nurse.

I heard on today's news that people here in San Antonio have caught the West Nile Virus from BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS! :eek:

An investigation and testing is under way at the blood bank here. :nurse:

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So, West Nile Virus is a bloodbourn pathogen? Does anyone know if it could be transmitted like hepatitis or HIV?

I hope they can develop the test for donated blood/organs soon.

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Heeeey! I had turned my icon into a beautiful fairy queen! And it shows up as Beavis????

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chicory-you forgot to hit yes...

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... Nile Virus info looking like early AIDS days and just in time for the American Academy of Pediatrics Bank of America to say it is okay for head lice to go to school with the kids. They be wishing head lice just a pain as DNA tests show head lice to be same species as body lice and capable of transmitting blood borne pathogens. Duh -- what a surprise? NOT. Ever thought that some of these "professional organizations" are at the root of many of the problems? Posted at pediatric nursing but more people need to know. After all -- nurses are mothers too.

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Specializes in Corrections, Psych, Med-Surg.

Well, it seems to me that if it can be spread from one mammal to another through mosquito bites, it is only obvious that it can be spread through blood transfusions and organ transplants. This is not rocket science.

And, as usual, the Red Cross immediately said "the blood supply is safe," just as it did about Hep B, HIV, Hep C and everything else. That organization lost its credibility long ago.

IMHO

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Love your quote and thinking that we're all up to our eyeballs in the crap we take -- literally and figuratively. It is scarey out there. Spoke to a friend who thought she bought organic compost for her garden and it turned out to be sludge repackaged...freakin humanure. Sh_t not only happens -- they recycle and sell it back to us. Stinks no matter what. Gotta figure that whatever CDC reports on Nile Virus -- there's a lot more that they don't.

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Does anyone know what the WNF looks like? It's characteristics? Typical of a virus? What kind of virus? What is the outer membrane made of? How does it travel into the neuro system? What?!? Is it like an arbovirus? Looking for some technical information here.

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Here's an overview from 2001. It's a start and only first find. Second link is detailed Q&A on WNEncephalitis

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/May2001/n05102001_200105103.html

http://www.pested.psu.edu/spWNfactsheet.html

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