-----Original Message-----
From: Eric D Nash <ednS94@hamp.hampshire.edu>
To: sanet-mg@ces.ncsu.edu <sanet-mg@ces.ncsu.edu>
Date: Tuesday, November 24, 1998 6:47 PM
Subject: Speaking of HOGS!PRO/AH> Xenotransplantation, theoretical risks
(fwd)
>
>
>XENOTRANSPLANTATION, THEORETICAL RISKS
>**************************************
>A ProMED-mail post
><http://www.healthnet.org/programs/promed.html>
><http://www.fas.org/promed/ahead>
>
>[see also:
>Xenotransplantation, human risk from porcine organ... 980430230848
>Xenotransplantation, human risk from porcine organs 980429210744]
>
>Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1998 11:38:11 +0100
>From: Aldert A Bergwerff <Bergwerff@vvdo.vet.uu.nl>
>
>
>For several years, pigs have attracted much attention of people not for
>their amusing features and interesting meat-producing abilities, but for
>their organs, which may be suitable for transplantation in humans. This
>kind of transplantation between different species is called
>xenotransplantation. The animal tissue source is becoming of importance as
>the number of human donors is very limited and the need for tissues by
>patients is increasing.
>
>Several difficulties for such actions have been described. In particular
>rejection of tissue, because of the recognition of foreign markers by the
>immune system of the host, is a challenging issue. Furthermore, the
>introduction of pathogens inhabiting pig's tissue in humans as a sort of
>Trojan horse has been recognized as a serious problem, since retro-viruses
>may be present in the pig's genome. The presence of zoonotic
>micro-organisms must therefore be addressed before successful
>xenotransplantation.
>
>QUESTION/THESIS:
>
>However, and that is where we (with a veterinary science background) come
>in, should a recipient, who is 'carrying' a foreign organ be afraid of
>microorganisms, which are pathogenic to the donating animal? In other
>words, if swine fever is breaking out is that a threatening situation for a
>recipient, with a kidney, which was grown and formerly owned by a pig?
>
>We hope that you can philosophise on this subject and we are very
>interested in your discussion.
>
>--
>Dr. Aldert Bergwerff (Chemist: Chemical Hygiene in the Animal Production)
>Prof. Dr. Frans van Knapen (DVM, Veterinary Public Health)
>Department of the Science of Food of Animal Origin
>Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
>Utrecht University
>The Netherlands
>Tel. (INT)31 / (0)30 - 253 5367
>Fax. (INT)31 / (0)30 - 253 2367
>e-mail: bergwerff@vvdo.vet.uu.nl
>
>[Maybe those who have been doing the necessary basic research in laboratory
>animal xenotransplant models will have some real experience in this
>question. The question can also be reversed, "Will human infections become
>pathogenic for pigs?" - Mod.MHJ]
>.....................................mhj/es
>--
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