[Removal and storage of human bone for transplantation. Directives for infection control]

When bone is transplanted from one person to another, a risk of simultaneous transfer of infectious material is present. Transfer of bacteria is commonest but transmission of Hepatitis virus and HIV have been described. In order to reduce this risk as much as possible, medical and social screening of the donors are recommended together with hepatitis B antigen test (HBsAg), hepatitis C antibody test (anti-HCV) and HIV antibody test. In addition, living donors are preferable on account of the better possibilities for screening. The risk of transfer of HIV is limited at present, if male donors are aged over 60 years and female donors are over 40 years. Removal of the tissue should always be undertaken under sterile conditions. Aerobic and anaerobic culture of multiple bone biopsies from the transplant on removal of the tissue are recommended. Neither freezing nor freeze-drying result in decontamination of the bone. Chemical methods and also irradiation are considered inadequate or injurious to the quality of the bone.