Measures taken to reduce the risk of West Nile virus transmission by transplantation in Italy

A Nanni Costa; P Grossi; E Porta; S Venettoni; D Fehily

doi:10.2807/ese.13.42.19009-en

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Measures taken to reduce the risk of West Nile virus transmission by transplantation in Italy
A Nanni Costa¹ , P Grossi² , E Porta¹ , S Venettoni¹ , D Fehily¹
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Affiliations: ¹ National Transplant Centre, Rome, Italy ² Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy

Correspondence:
A Nanni Costa
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Citation style for this article: Nanni Costa A, Grossi P, Porta E, Venettoni S, Fehily D. Measures taken to reduce the risk of West Nile virus transmission by transplantation in Italy. Euro Surveill. 2008;13(42):pii=19009. https://doi.org/10.2807/ese.13.42.19009-en Received: 14 Oct 2008

Abstract

For the first time in Italy, two patients with meningoencephalitis were diagnosed with West Nile virus (WNV) infection in September 2008 [1]. The patients live in the Bologna and Ferrara provinces of Emilia Romagna where WNV infections had previously been noted in horses, crows and magpies [2]. The Italian National Transplant Centre (CNT), which is responsible for the procurement, processing and distribution of organs and tissues in Italy, has now reviewed the risks of transmission of WNV by organ, tissue and cell transplantation and, taking into account the advice and recommendations of the relevant authorities in other countries, issued guidance to the transplant community.