Polyomavirus viruria in bone marrow transplant recipients: lack of correlation with clinical symptoms.
BACKGROUND
Human polyomavirus (HPV) infection is controversially discussed as a factor influencing the outcome of bone marrow transplantation (BMT).


METHODS
Here we report on 62 patients undergoing BMT with clinical signs of urocystitis, such as micro- or macrohematuria with more or less severe dysuria. These patients were tested for the presence of HPV in urine specimens (n = 80) by transmission electron microscopy (TEM).


RESULTS
HPV viruria was found in 35 patients (56%); 33 (94%) of them had hemorrhagic cystitis, whereas two (6%) were suffering from dysuria only. Among the patients with hemorrhagic cystitis, ten (30%) presented with macrohematuria, four (12%) with microhematuria and 19 (58%) with micro- or macrohematuria and severe dysuria. 26 of 27 HPV-negative patients (96%) showed hemorrhagic cystitis with either macrohematuria (n = 7) (26%) or microhematuria (n = 15) (56%). Four patients (15%) suffered from hematuria and dysuria, one patient (4%) from dysuria only.


CONCLUSIONS
Although HPV-negative patients tended to present with less severe clinical symptoms, overall no statistically significant influence on the outcome of BMT was seen.
Rabenau
H F
HF
Institute for Medical Virology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University Clinic, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Rabenau@em.uni-frankfurt.de
Preiser
W
W
Franck
S
S
Schwerdtfeger
S
S
Doerr
H W
HW
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003556:Cystitis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008875:Middle Aged; D011120:Polyomavirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D027601:Polyomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D014556:Urine / Q000821:virology*