Research Group

  • Dr Elmi Muller, Principal Investigator
  • Prof. Marc Mendelson, Co-Investigator
  • Prof. Carolyn Williamson, Co-Investigator
  • Prof. Clive Grey, Co-Investigator
  • Prof. De!awir Kahn, Co-Investigator
  • Prof. Helen Mcllleron, Research Associate
  • Dr Catherine Riou, Research Associate
  • Dr Valley-Omar Ziyaad, Research Associate

Location

  • University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

Title

  • Transplanting HIV-positive Kidneys into HIV-positive Recipients

South Africa has a high incidence of HIV disease and many of these patients develop renal failure as a complication. We are a resource-constrained country and dialysis slots are limited. As a result of this we often turn patients away for dialysis and transplantation. In the past this happened with all HIV positive patients. On the other hand, the high prevalence of HIV in the country results in a situation where we are getting more and more HIV positive brain-dead donor referrals. In the past we were unable to use these organs, but since 2008 ten HIV positive patients have been transplanted with HIV positive organs from deceased donors. The clinical outcome in these patients has been excellent, and clinically the new incoming virus has not been a problem. We would now like to study in more detail the 2- and 3-year clinical outcome and specifically to determine whether HIV from the organ donor establishes an active clinical infection in the recipient. We would also like to look at the effects of the transplant on immune cells in HIV positive patients and study the very complex drug interactions between the antiretroviral therapy and the immunosuppressants the patient receives to prevent him/her from rejecting their kidneys.

Progress Report
Final Report