The pig's heart, which was first transplanted into a human, had a virus

So far, scientists cannot say for sure whether he played any role in the death of a person. 

Man from

Maryland, David Bennett, 57, died in March2022, two months after an experimental pig heart transplant. Doctors at the University of Maryland say they have discovered a nasty surprise - viral DNA inside a pig's heart. There is no indication yet that the virus, porcine cytomegalovirus, has caused an active infection, they said.

The patient was said to be very ill, butrecovered quite well after transplantation. One morning, he became worse and developed symptoms that looked like an infection. Doctors ran numerous tests to try to figure out the cause, and put Bennett on various antibiotics, antivirals, and immune-boosting treatments. But the pig's heart swelled, filled with fluid, and eventually stopped functioning.

The main problem with animal-to-human organ transplants is that there is a risk of creating new types of infections in humans.

Because some viruses are latent—they hide and don't cause disease—they can't always be detected.

The Maryland team said the donor pigwas healthy, had passed the testing required by the FDA for infections. She was also raised in a special institution where they prevent the spread of animal infections.

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