Infectious Diseases and Liver Transplantation SIG

The Infectious Diseases and Liver Transplantation SIG is the group which identifies the topics related with infectious diseases that have relation with liver transplantation, including viral hepatitis, opportunistic infections, infectious prophylaxis and vaccinations of liver transplant candidates and recipients, management of liver transplant recipients during epidemics and pandemics (as COVID).

SIG Objectives:

1. Identify the current and emerging issues in infectious disease and liver donation and liver transplantation
2. Summarize current literature on each topic and present the expert opinion.
3. Identify gaps in the current knowledge and needed research. Promote research and education
4. Coordinate the potential international and interdisciplinary collaborations on the new research topics with individuals as well as organizations.
5. Organize consensus groups and publish recommendations on the topics in infectious disease and liver transplantation.

Communication strategy:

1.  SIG co-coordinator and principal nominees will select three initial sub-topics of interest that will be summarized in the discussion forum. The link to the selected topics will also be included in the ILTS membership email.
2. The ILTS members will be able to post comments or questions regarding the selected topics within a forum.
3. The ILTS members will have access to the separate sections within a forum:
   1. To propose and form collaborations;
   2. To propose new major topics for the discussion;
   3. To post questions of interest regarding other topics in infectious disease and liver transplantation;
   4. Access to other online resources on infectious disease and liver transplantation (e.g., Disease Transmission Advisory Committee, Notify Library – The Global Vigilance and Surveillance Database).
4. SIG committee (co-coordinator and principal nominees) will communicate via email and during the ILTS annual meetings for strategic planning. The ILTS Vanguard members will be responsible for timely maintenance of the topics on the forum and communication with the SIG committee.

Helpful Resources:

• Use of HBsAg+ donors in liver transplant: https://journals.lww.com/lt/fulltext/9900/use_of_hbsag_positive_donors_in_liver.416.aspx

• COVID vaccination policies and liver transplant: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/transplantation/articles/10.3389/frtra.2023.1332616/full
• Impact of COVID on liver transplant: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8511875/

SIG Resources

Steering Committee members:
Carmen Vinaixa [2025], La Fe University Hospital, Valencia, Spain – Topic Coordinator
Jennifer Price [2025], University of California, San Francisco, USA – Topic Coordinator
Affiliated Councilor to be confirmed soon
Alessandra Mazzola [2025], Sorbonne Université, APHP Hôpital Pitié Salpêtriere, Paris, France
Varvara Kirchner [2025], Stanford University, USA
Tamer Shaker [2025], University of Minnesota, USA
Audrey Coilly [2025], APHP, Villejuif, France
Timothy Pruett [2025], University of Minnesota, USA
Sanjiv Saigal [2025], Max Super Speciality Hospital, Delhi, India
Li-Ying Sun [2025], Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
Priya Walabh [2025], University of Witwatersrand, Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa
Shahid Husain [2027], University Health Network, University of Toronto, Canada
Annalisa Dolcet [2027], University Padova Hospital, Padova, Italy