Kidneys from donors with the hepatitis C virus are routinely used in kidney transplants in the United States and function well in the first year after transplantation, a new study says, according to UPI.

The findings provide reassurance that the use of HCV-infected kidneys for transplantation is safe and effective, said Dr. Vishnu Potluri and Dr. Peter Reese of the University of Pennsylvania, and their colleagues.

The researchers analyzed 2015-2019 data on the use of hepatitis C-infected kidneys for transplants in the United States. They found a substantial increase in their use nationwide.

They also found that until September 2018, most HCV-infected kidneys were transplanted into patients who already had HCV. But since that time, the majority of HCV-infected kidneys were transplanted into patients who did not have HCV.

The study results are in the Sept. 12 Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

"Our study showed that transplants with HCV-infected kidneys are now routinely performed at many centers, and they are functioning well at one year after transplant," Reese said in a journal news release.