Transplant Patient Negative for AIDS

An organ-transplant service Sunday reported the first negative AIDS test for a patient who received tissue from a donor who likely contracted the virus shortly before he was slain in 1985.

Three recipients of organs from the donor have died of AIDS, and three others who got tissue from him have tested positive for the disease. More than 40 other recipients of tissue from the man are being tested.

The test that proved negative was performed on a patient who received a freeze-dried tissue graft, which LifeNet Transplant Services would not describe further. It said the graft was treated with ethanol, a sterilizing alcohol that would have made transmission of the virus extremely unlikely.