Screening of cadaver cornea donor for infections in the eye bank of the Fyodorov Eye Microsurgery Federal State Institution

Objective: to analyze negative laboratory results of cadaver cornea donor screening during preparation of corneas for transplantation according to data from the internal registry of donors of the eye bank (EB) of the Fyodorov Eye Microsurgery Federal State Institution and the European Eye Bank Association (EEBA) from 2011 through 2015. Materials and methods. Data analysis was carried out using the internal registry of EB donors and the EEBA annual directories. The analyzed data included the number of eyeballs obtained, the frequency of incomplete tests (hemolysis for EB) and positive serological results for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1 and HIV-2), viral hepatitis B, viral hepatitis C and syphilis. Results. In just 5 years, the EB received 3,479 eyeballs. After hemolysis of donor blood samples, 13.9% (n = 486) of corneas were excluded from the EB. EEBA recorded fewer inconclusive tests during the same period. After hemolysis and positive serological tests, 19.4% (n = 676) of corneas were excluded from the EB. Overall, the number of positive serological tests in EBs was far higher than in the EEBA data. Frequency of positive HIV tests (HIV-1 and HIV-2) and syphilis in EB showed low variability annually, while incidence of hepatitis B increased in 2015. For the analyzed period, positive serology for hepatitis C was found to be prevalent among EB donors. Mixed infections were quite often recorded in blood samples. Conclusion. Based on analysis conducted, positive serology and hemolysis were the main contraindications and led to exclusion of 33.3% (n = 1162) of cadaver donor corneas received in EB. Frequency of positive serological tests for indicated infections in EB was higher than in the EEBA data, with significant predomination of hepatitis C.

corneal transplantation, eye bank, serological tests, human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, syphilis

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