Get your full text copy in PDF

BACKGROUND: Tick-borne infections are very common in humans in Poland and throughout Europe. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the probability of incidents of implanting heart tissue grafts infected with pathogens transmitted by ticks, such as Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Rickettsia spp., Bartonella spp., and Coxiella burnetii.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: Samples of the mitral valves, aortal valves, and myocardium were obtained from 78 human donors. All samples were certified for transplantation. PCR and sequencing were used to test tissue grafts for the presence of bacterial DNA.
RESULTS: Among the 78 donors tested, tick-borne pathogens Bartonella spp. and B. burgdorferi sensu lato DNA were found in the heart tissues in 2 (2.56%) of them. Bartonella spp. DNA was detected in the mitral valve and aorta of 1 man. DNA of B. burgdorferi sensu lato was found in fragments of the myocardium, as well as in the mitral and aortal valves of a female donor. Rickettsia spp. and C. burnetii DNA were not found in any heart samples tested.
CONCLUSIONS: Obtained results indicate that graft donors are not free of these pathogens. It seems that use of tests detecting these pathogens and epidemiological anamnesis from the donor’s family would be helpful, at least in areas heavily infested with ticks.

Keywords: Molecular Diagnostic Techniques, Tick-Borne Diseases, Transplants