Transmission Risk of Intentional Transplantation of Kidneys From Donors With Active Hepatitis B to Recipients Without...

Potential kidney donors with active hepatitis B virus (HBV: positive hepatitis B surface antigen [HBsAg] and/or nucleic acid test [NAT]) are usually declined for HBsAg-negative recipients. Safety may be improved by recipient vaccination and/or antivirals, thereby increasing transplantation opportunities. We quantified HBV transmission risk in this setting to inform donation decisions.

Systematic review and meta-analysis (MEDLINE, to November 2024) of cohorts comprised of kidney donors with active HBV intentionally used for HBsAg-negative recipients. Transmission was defined as new HBsAg or NAT positivity posttransplant. Transmission proportions and exact 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled using generalized linear mixed models with logistic transformation and random effects.

We included 20 cohorts involving 600 HBsAg-negative recipients from donors with active HBV. Most donors were living (52%), with negative NAT (60%). Most recipients had positive surface antibody (>10 IU/L, 86%); many were core antibody positive (47%). Antiviral prophylaxis was given to 49% recipients, varying in type, duration, and strategy. There were 29 of 600 HBV transmissions, mostly transient low-level viremia only (62%). The pooled transmission rate was 4.0% (95% CI, 1.8%-8.3%) with low heterogeneity ( I2  = 0%) but some between-study variance (Tau 2  = 1.21). Transmission rates were higher where all donors had positive NAT (16.0%; 95% CI, 10.2%-24.3%), and lower where all recipients were living (0.8%; 95% CI, 0.1%-6.4%) or had positive surface antibody (1.4%; 95% CI, 0.2%-8.8%). Three deaths because of HBV transmissions occurred, all among recipients not taking posttransplant antiviral prophylaxis.

Given low transmission rates and mitigating strategies, kidney transplantation may be considered from donors with active HBV, with donor/recipient risk stratification, consent, and monitoring/prophylaxis.