title: Polyomaviruses BK- And JC-DNA quantitation in kidney allograft biopsies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Polyomavirus-associated nephropathy (PVAN) is one of the most common viral disease affecting renal allograft, with BK being the most frequent causal agent and JCV being considered responsible in <3% of the cases.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To quantify polyomaviruses BK and JC load by real-time TaqMan PCR in tissue specimens (renal and ureteral) from kidney transplant recipients.
  
  
  METHODS
  One-hundred-thirty-eight specimens (125 kidneys, 13 ureters) obtained from 109 patients were evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR for the detection of BKV- and JCV-DNA. Demographic, virological, and histopathological data were collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BKV-DNA was positive in 32 of 109 patients (29.6%) and JCV-DNA in 20 of 109 patients (18.3%). The highest BK viral loads (>10(4) genome equivalents/cell) were found in two renal samples with histopathologically confirmed PVAN; while JC viral load was >10(4) genome equivalents/cell in one ureteral sample.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although quantitation of viral DNA on renal allograft biopsies could be complementary to histopathological evaluation and the highest viral load are detectable in renal specimens with PVAN, the identification of a diagnostic cut-off should require further studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Microbiology, Virology Unit, Università degli Studi di Torino, Via Santena 9, 10126 Torino, Italy. cristina.costa@unito.it
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bergallo
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sidoti
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Astegiano
authors.forename: Maria Elena
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Terlizzi
authors.forename: Gianna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mazzucco
authors.forename: Giuseppe P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Segoloni
authors.forename: Rossana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cavallo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001739:BK Virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001706:Biopsy; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007577:JC Virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007668:Kidney / Q000821:virology*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D027601:Polyomavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral