Six transplant patients in Rio de Janeiro tested positive for HIV after receiving infected organs from the state’s organ donation service, according to local health officials. The Rio Health Secretary’s office reported that the laboratory responsible for testing the donated organs has been suspended.
According to a Reuters report, the organs came from two donors and were transplanted into six individuals on the state’s waiting list.
Health authorities are currently screening other transplant recipients to determine if their organs were also contaminated. All stored organs from donors are now being tested, dating back to December 2023, when the lab in question was first contracted.
“This has no precedent,” said the Rio Health Secretary in an official statement, acknowledging the gravity of the situation. Law enforcement is investigating the cause of the erroneous tests, which led to the transplants of HIV-infected organs.
The issue came to light when a heart transplant patient raised concerns after experiencing health issues and later tested positive for HIV. Two other patients who had each received a kidney also tested positive for the virus.
Medical professionals are worried that this incident could erode public trust in the organ donation service, potentially leading to a decline in donors. Since its inception in 2006, Rio de Janeiro’s transplant program has facilitated over 16,000 transplants, significantly benefiting the state’s population.
