A pig virus may have contributed to the death of first pig heart transplant patient

Photo by Thomas Trutschel/Photothek via Getty Images

The first patient to have a heart transplant with a pig organ may have died because of a preventable infection.

A major milestone in animal-to-human transplants was achieved in January of this year, when David Bennett Sr., who had severe heart disease, received a genetically modified pig heart. He died in March. The cause of death was unknown at the hospital where the procedure was performed.

Bennett's transplant surgeon said last month that the heart was carrying a virus that can damage the organ. According to a German study, hearts without virus survived much longer than hearts with virus.

Bennett received a heart from a company that makes genetically modified pigs. They are supposed to be free of viruses, but this particular one can be hard to detect, according to a researcher. The company refused to speak to MIT Technology Review about the heart and the virus.

It is not clear how much of a role the virus played in Bennett's death. If he died because of the virus and not because his body rejected the organ, groups working on xenotransplantation won't have to rethink their strategy.