Human Herpesvirus 8: An Increasing Threat to Organ Transplant Recipients?

Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) infection can cause severe disease in organ transplant recipients, but organ donors are not routinely screened for this virus. A recent report from Italy described a high rate of HHV-8 transmission from seropositive donors to seronegative recipients, with 60% of infected recipients subsequently developing disease. Now we have a similar report from the U.S.

Between 2021 and mid-2025, the CDC was notified of 46 transplant recipients with suspected donor-derived HHV-8–related disease (a fivefold increase from the previous 5-year period). In response, the CDC identified the deceased donors involved and all other patients who received their organs. The ongoing investigation involves 153 transplant recipients.