Safety of using hepatitis B virus core antibody or surface antigen-positive donors in kidney or pancreas transplantation

Hepatitis B virus core antibody (HBcAb) or surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive organ donors have the potential to transmit infection to transplant recipients. We investigated the safety of using HBcAb(+) or HBsAg(+) donors in kidney or pancreas transplant recipients with 1 yr lamivudine prophylaxis. While HBsAb(-) recipients of HBcAb(+) donors received prophylaxis, HBsAb(+) recipients did not. HBsAg(+) organs were only used in patients who were both HBcAb and HBsAb(+). Forty-six patients received HBcAb(+) and four received HBsAg(+) organs (47 kidney, two pancreas, and one kidney/pancreas). All but one recipient were HBsAg(-), 25 were HBsAb(+), and 19 HBcAb(+). During a median 36 months of follow-up (range 6-66 months), with 43 of a total 50 patients having at least 1 yr follow-up and were off lamivudine, and none of the patients developed hepatitis B viremia or seroconversion to HBsAg or HBsAb(+). These results suggest that HBcAb(+) or HBsAg(+) organs can be used safely in selected recipients with lamivudine prophylaxis without requiring hepatitis B immunglobulin.