Three Die After Organ Transplants

BOSTON -- Three transplant patients have died from a rodent-born virus traced back to the donor's pet, officials said Monday.

NewsCenter 5's Diolinda Vaz reported Monday that the three victims died from the viral infection LCMV, which is associated with exposure to rodent waste.

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Diolinda Vaz Reports On Investigation Resources: LCMV

One of the victims was a patient at Massachusetts General Hospital, and another received an organ during a procedure at Brigham and Woman's Hospital. The third patient had surgery at a hospital in Rhode Island.

Rhode Island officials say the organ donor's hamster has also tested positive for the virus.

The patients died in the last month after receiving lung, kidney and liver tissue. Health officials said that this is only the second time they've ever heard of someone getting LCMV from an organ transplant.

"In April 2005, Brigham and Women's Hospital surgeons transplanted two donor lungs, obtained through the New England Organ Bank, into a single patient who later died of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus. There were never any signs of active infection in the donor.

As patient safety is the top priority of the hospital, we worked closely with the CDC and Massachusetts Department of Public Health to assess all associated health risks. After this assessment, we have determined that this infection was an isolated incident and at no point were other patients or staff ever at risk for contracting the infection," the hospital said in a statement.

"This is extremely rare an unusual event. The CDC is only aware of one similar episode, and they are still investigating that episode," one health official said.

Health officials say most people only get flu-like symptoms from the virus, but transplant patients take medication to suppress the immune system, and that allows the virus to grow.