Transmission of toxoplasmosis by renal transplant

Two renal allograft recipients who had received their organs from the same cadaver donor developed acute toxoplasmosis shortly after transplantation. Neither of the recipients had serologic evidence of previous exposure to Toxoplasma gondii at the time of surgery, but the donor had a positive indirect fluorescent antibody test. One of the recipients died during the fourth week, and multiorgan involvement with toxoplasmosis was demonstrated at autopsy. No evidence of the parasite could be found in the transplanted kidney. In the second recipient the disease was suspected, serologically demonstrated, and successfully treated. We concluded that toxoplasmosis was transmitted by the donor's kidneys, although this mode of transmission was not completely proven.