West Nile Virus RNA in Tissues from Donor Associated with Transmission to Organ Transplant Recipients

Abstract

We identified West Nile virus (WNV) RNA in skin, fat, muscle, tendon, and bone marrow from a deceased donor associated with WNV transmission through solid organ transplantation. WNV could not be cultured from the RNA-positive tissues. Further studies are needed to determine if WNV can be transmitted from postmortem tissues.

Keywords

• West Nile virus
• WNV
• RNA
• organ transplantation
• tissues
• viruses