Traceability is defined as the ability to locate MPHO at any stage of the chain from donation to transplantation or disposal. Tracing should include all MPHO transferred from the donor involved in the case under study, which implies that linkage between the different tracing systems should be ensured. Usually, a team is not able to trace all recipients of MPHO from one donor on its own. The allocating body should hence participate in tracing and in alerting the other teams, as foreseen in the corresponding jurisdiction.
Clinicians diagnosing a malignancy after transplantation that might be donor-transmitted should alert the teams in charge of other potentially affected recipients. Even if imputability has not yet been determined, the suspicion of a transmitted malignancy should activate the alert, since preventive and therapeutic measures might be needed for other recipients. Moreover, the collective investigation started by each team is required in the assessment of the case, understood as a whole, including determination of transmission of disease from the donor to one or more recipients.
Once alerted, notification of the case to the relevant authority should follow.