A file photo of a transplant surgery in Quebec.
Bartonella quintana, an infection caused by body lice, has been found in seven organ transplant recipients in Alberta since 2022.A file photo of a transplant surgery in Quebec. Bartonella quintana, an infection caused by body lice, has been found in seven organ transplant recipients in Alberta since 2022.
"It was quite alarming to us, especially that we know that this bacteria can cause a more serious type of infection because sometimes it can affect your heart valve or it can affect some of the major organs," Kabbani said.The disease, which presents as skin lesions, was transferred to organ recipients from their donors, all of whom were people who had been living with homelessness and who had been infected themselves.
"What we hope is that donors who have risk factors for bartonella quintana are recognized early so that people might know that the recipients may be at increased risk."News of the situation is not surprising to Marliss Taylor, a registered nurse and director of Streetworks, an Edmonton harm reduction program.
"It's the loss of another resource that people would use in order to be able to maintain their own cleanliness," Taylor said.Tricia Smith, executive director of Radius Community Health and Healing in Edmonton, said body lice has been found in homeless populations.
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