Living-donor kidney transplant from hepatitis B surface antigen-positive donors to hepatitis B antibody-positive recipients without hepatitis B immunoglobulin prophylaxis in an endemic country.

OBJECTIVES Living-donor kidney transplant from donors who are chronically infected with hepatitis B virus can be considered as a possibility to compensate for insufficiency of organ transplants, particularly in a hepatitis B virus endemic country. In this study, the safety and efficacy were reviewed retrospectively in living-donor kidney transplant from donors who were chronically infected with hepatitis B virus. MATERIALS AND METHODS In the years between 2012 and 2013, we transplanted 4 renal grafts from hepatitis B surface antigen-positive living donors to antihepatitis B antibody-positive recipients. Lamivudine was prescribed for recipients after transplant without hepatitis B immunoglobulin. RESULTS In 1-year follow-up, there were no abnormal findings in the levels of renal and liver enzymes, and there was no unwanted seroconversion to positive hepatitis B surface antigen. CONCLUSIONS When combined with careful hepatitis B virus-monitoring, renal grafts from hepatitis B surface antigen-positive living donors can be transplanted to hepatitis B antibody-positive recipients, without the need for hepatitis B immunoglobulin prophylaxis, in a hepatitis B virus endemic country.