HIV transmission by transplantation of allograft skin: a review of the literature

The fear of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission by means of allograft skin has led to a cautious approach to allograft donor selection. However, no irrefutable diagnostic test exists to determine the possible presence of HIV at the time of donation. In order to find ways of improving HIV donor screening practices for skin banks, we review the presence of HIV in human skin, explore the possible transmission of HIV by transplantation of human allograft skin, and discuss the reliability of existing HIV tests. The use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as a sensitive detection system for HIV infection of skin biopsies, in combination with conventional routine HIV blood screening tests, could lower the risk of transmitting HIV to severely burned patients.