title: Retransplantation after kidney graft loss due to polyoma BK virus nephropathy: successful outcome without original allograft nephrectomy.
abstract: Although polyoma BK virus (BKV)-associated interstitial nephritis has received increasing attention because of its clinical relevance in kidney allograft recipients, data on risk for repeated renal transplantation after BKV-related allograft loss are limited, and the need to perform an original graft nephrectomy is the object of debate. A 15-year-old boy with renal failure secondary to Alport's syndrome underwent renal transplantation. His posttransplantation course was complicated by acute rejection episodes and the presence of circulating anti-glomerular basement membrane antibodies that required aggressive immunosuppressive treatment. Graft failure caused by BKV-associated interstitial nephropathy occurred despite a reduction in immunosuppression and cidofovir treatment. The patient received a second transplant without an original graft nephrectomy, and 15 months after retransplantation, he persists with optimal graft function and is constantly BKV DNA negative in both urine and plasma. Our report indicates that an original allograft nephrectomy may not be mandatory for successful retransplantation after graft loss caused by BKV nephropathy.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Nephrology Unit, G. Gaslini Institute, Genova, Italy. fabrizioginevri@ospedale-gaslini.ge.it
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ginevri
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pastorino
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: de Santis
authors.forename: Iris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fontana
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sementa
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Losurdo
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Santopietro
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Perfumo
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Locatelli
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Maccario
authors.forename: Alberta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Azzi
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Comoli
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D001739:BK Virus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy / Q000379:methods; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D009394:Nephritis, Hereditary / Q000150:complications; D009395:Nephritis, Interstitial / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D027601:Polyomavirus Infections; D051437:Renal Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D012086:Reoperation; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections