Kidney transplants down in Australia during pandemic

The rate has decreased by 27% this year compared with the same period last year, but rates for some other organs are up.

Welcome to The Medical Republic’s COVID Catch-Up.

It’s the day’s COVID-19 news in one convenient post. Email bianca@biancanogrady.com with any tips, comments or feedback.

26 October

• Drop in kidney, liver and lung transplants in Australia during pandemic.
• Nearly 4% of Wuhan residents have SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, serosurvey finds.
• The latest confirmed COVID-19 infection numbers from around Australia.

• The rate of kidney transplantation has decreased by 27% in Australia during the pandemic, compared to the same period last year, according to a research letter published in Kidney International.
  The study also showed an 8% reduction in liver transplants and 12% reduction in lung transplants, but significant increases in the rate of heart and pancreas transplantations.
  There were 19 cases of COVID-19 recorded among kidney transplant recipients in Australia – a similar rate to that seen in the general population.
  Meanwhile, a Spanish nationwide study of COVID-19 in transplant recipients has found the incidence of COVID-19 was two-fold higher in solid organ transplant recipients compared to the general population. Nearly 9 out of ten of these cases were admitted to hospital, and 85% had adjustment of their immunosuppressive therapy, according to a paper published in the American Journal of Transplantation.
  Just over one-quarter of the transplant recipients with COVID-19 died, but the highest risk of death was in lung transplant recipients, those aged over 60 years or those with hospital-acquired COVID-19.
• A population-based cohort study of more than 35,000 residents of Wuhan has found nearly 4% have antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, despite very few having ever tested positive with RT-PCR.
  The study, published in JAMA Network Open, found the prevalence of seropositivity was significantly higher in urban areas compared to suburban and rural areas, significantly higher among women than men, and was highest among those aged 60 years and older.
• Here are the latest confirmed COVID-19 infection numbers from around Australia to 9pm Sunday:
  National – 27,520, with 905 deaths
  ACT – 114 (0)
  NSW – 4382 (7)
  NT – 33 (0)
  QLD – 1167 (0)
  SA – 491 (4)
  TAS – 230 (0)
  VIC – 20,343 (7)
  WA – 760 (3)