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JAMA. 2002;287:1642-1644.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

MMWR. 2002;51:207-210

Tissue allografts are commonly used in orthopedic surgical procedures; in 1999, approximately 650,000 musculoskeletal allografts were distributed by tissue processors.¹ A rare complication of musculoskeletal allografts is bacterial infection.^2-3 After the reported death of a recipient of an allograft contaminated with Clostridium spp. (an anaerobic spore and toxin-forming organism),³ CDC investigated this case and solicited additional reports of allograft-associated infections; 26 cases have been identified. This report summarizes the investigation of these cases and describes additional steps given to a tissue processor to enhance tissue transplant safety.

On November 7, 2001, a man aged 23 years underwent reconstructive knee surgery at a hospital in Minnesota using a femoral condyle (bone-cartilage) allograft. On November 10, he developed pain at the surgical site, which rapidly progressed to shock; the patient died the following day.³ Blood cultures obtained premortem grew Clostridium sordellii.

On November 13, a man aged 17 years . . . [Full Text of this Article]