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Meningococcal Donor Organ Safety — ESENeph MCQ

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ModerateTransplantationMeningococcal Donor Organ SafetyESENeph

A kidney transplant recipient is being assessed for suitability of a donation from a donor who died from meningococcal sepsis (Neisseria meningitidis). Can this organ be used?

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Correct answer: A — Organs from donors who died of meningococcal infection CAN be safely used – Neisseria meningitidis is susceptible to standard antibiotic treatment and does not establish latent infection in the organ; the recipient receives prophylactic antibiotics

Donors who died from meningococcal sepsis can safely donate organs. N. meningitidis is highly susceptible to antibiotics and does not establish latent infection in transplanted organs. NHSBT and SaBTO (Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs) guidelines support organ utilisation from these donors with appropriate recipient prophylactic antibiotics. This is important because meningococcal deaths tend to occur in young, otherwise healthy donors – exactly the donors likely to provide high-quality organs. The recipient receives a short course of prophylactic antibiotics (e.g. Ceftriaxone).

Reference: NHSBT – Donor Risk Assessment; SaBTO 2023 – Microbiological Safety