title: BK viremia in critically ill surgical patients with hemorrhagic or septic shock.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Infections with polyomavirus BK virus (BKV) are a common cause of renal dysfunction after renal transplantation and may also be harmful in surgical patients with shock. The aim of the present study was to determine the frequency of BKV viremia in critically ill surgical patients with septic or hemorrhagic shock, and, if viremia is detectable, whether viremia may be associated with renal dysfunction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 125 plasma samples from 44 critically ill surgical patients with septic or hemorrhagic shock were tested by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for BKV DNA during their stay on the intensive care unit (ICU). BKV viremia occurred in four patients, i.e. in three of the septic and in one of the hemorrhagic shock group. There was no association between viremia and renal dysfunction. All positive samples contained a low viral load (< 500 copies/ml).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Since BK viremia was rarely found and with low viral load only in critically ill surgical patients with shock, it is very unlikely that BK viremia results in BK nephropathy later on.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, University Hospital Ulm, Steinhoevelstr, 9, 89075 Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Maximilian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nass
authors.forename: Benedikt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Weissbrich
authors.forename: Moritz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Huber
authors.forename: Elisabeth Marion
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weiss
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001739:BK Virus / Q000502:physiology; D003422:Critical Care; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D027601:Polyomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery / Q000821:virology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012771:Shock, Hemorrhagic / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery / Q000821:virology*; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery / Q000821:virology*; D019562:Viral Load; D014766:Viremia / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral