"They paged me what?": A transplant infectious disease guide to donor calls.

Abstract

Donor-derived infections in solid organ transplantation can be prevented by risk stratification of donors based on available information, and inquiries surrounding possible or diagnosed infection are common questions posed to transplant infectious disease subspecialists. This article outlines the five key steps in addressing a donor call from a transplant team in a systematic approach, focusing on donor and recipient-specific factors, transmissibility and treatment of possible infections, and the likelihood of a patient's future organ offers and mortality remaining on the waitlist. These principles are then applied to five donor call cases, in which we review the key takeaway points and supporting literature. These cases can be used as a resource for teaching with trainees.