Objective  To explore the safety application of organs from infectious donors.

  Methods  Clinical data of 67 donors and recipients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation were retrospectively analyzed. According to the occurrence of infections and infection sites in donors, all recipients were divided into the bloodstream infection group (n=16, donors with non-drug resistant bacterial infections), non-bloodstream infection group (n=20, donors with other site infections) and non-infection group (n=31). Perioperative clinical parameters including preoperative model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score, operative time, anhepatic phase, intraoperative blood loss and intraoperative blood transfusion were statistically compared among three groups. The recovery of liver function and coagulation function in the recipients was observed at postoperative 1, 3, 7, 14 and 21 d. The incidence rate of complications and mortality rate in the recipients were recorded within 1 month after liver transplantation. The recovery of postoperative infection-related parameters including white blood cell (WBC), neutrophil pet (NE%) and procalcitonin (PCT) level in the recipients was observed. The application rate and application time of restricted antibiotics were recorded.

  Results  Perioperative clinical parameters in the recipients did not significantly differ among three groups (all P > 0.05). At each time point after liver transplantation, the liver function, coagulation function, incidence rate of complications and mortality rate in the recipients did not significantly differ among three groups (all P > 0.05). The NE% of recipients at postoperative 3 and 7 d in the bloodstream infection group was significantly higher than those in non-bloodstream infection and non-infection groups (all P < 0.05). The PCT levels of recipients at postoperative 3, 7 and 14 d in the bloodstream infection group were significantly higher than those in the non-bloodstream infection and non-infection groups (all P < 0.05). The application rate and application time of restricted antibiotics in the recipients with bloodstream infections were significantly higher or longer than their counterparts in the non-bloodstream infection and non-infection groups (all P < 0.05).

  Conclusions   It is safe to apply liver grafts from donors with bloodstream infection of non-drug resistant bacteria or other site infections when antibiotics are applied as early as possible.