Current activity and perspectives of Clinical and Transplantation Immunology Division, Medical University, Sofia, Bulgaria
Naumova, E.; Michailova, A.; Spassova, P.; Marinova, D.
Bone Marrow Transplantation 22 Suppl. 4: S110-S113
1998
ISSN/ISBN: 0268-3369 PMID: 9916653 Document Number: 495349
Our unit was established in 1972 as Laboratory of Clinical Immunology in the Department of Nephrology, Medical Academy, Sofia Since 1985 it was expanded in Division of Clinical and Transplantation Immunology. Transplantation activity includes: HLA typing (serology and DNA) of all kind of recipients and donors, alloantibody screening and crossmatching (basic microlymphocytotoxicity, DTT and flowcytometry tests). Immunologic evaluation of patients prior to and after transplantation is also performed for individualization of immunosuppressive therapy and discrimination between rejection, CMV infection and cyclosporine toxicity. Since 1983 till now 1662 candidates for kidney transplantation were immunologically tested and registered in Bulgaria. During the same period 293 donors (109 cadaveric and 184 living related) were also typed. The number of transplanted patients from the waiting list is 221. 123 transplantations (76 from cadaveric and 52 from living related donors) were performed in our country and the rest abroad. Because of the imbalance in numbers between cadaveric and living related donors and recipients, the waiting time for transplant candidates has increased, and tragically, the high percentage of patients are dying or become unsuitable while awaiting transplantation. In the field of bone marrow transplantation our laboratory performs the tissue typing of patients and all available members of the immediate family in order to search for histocompatible sibling donor. As recipient numbers continue to grow, both in absolute terms and relative to the number of available donor organs, our histocompatibility laboratory attempts to provide the best possible immune testing to ensure an optimal transplant outcome.