title: Effect of transient BK viremia and viruria on long-term renal allograft survival and function.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study is to present the five-year survival and function of the renal allograft of recipients who were diagnosed with BK viremia and viruria during the first year after renal transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  BK virus was studied in 32 new renal allograft recipients, from the first postoperative day until 18 months after the transplantation. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to detect and quantitate BK viral load in serum and urine samples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Qualitative analysis with PCR for the DNA of BK virus showed 31 (31/228, 14%) positive serum samples originating from 20 (20/32, 62%) renal allograft recipients and 57 (57/228, 25%) positive urine samples originating from 23 (23/32, 72%) recipients. During the follow up period of 5 years, renal allograft function remained stable (eGFR 18(th) month: 53.9 ± 23.9 mL/min/1.73 m(2) and eGFR 5(th) year: 52.6 ± 20.6 mL/min/1.73 m(2)). Comparison of recipients that presented with either BK viremia or viruria with a group that did not present viral reactivation did not reveal a statistically significant difference in eGFR. Furthermore, recipients with significantly high viral load in serum or urine did not present renal allograft dysfunction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BK virus is potentially pathogenic in renal allograft recipients. It is certain that there is a reactivation of the virus in a high percentage of transplanted patients mostly in the first year after the surgery, without however a negative effect of the transient viremia and viruria in renal allograft function.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Surgery, Transplant Unit, Evangelismos General Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece; Department of Nephrology, Evangelismos General Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece. Electronic address: mkoukoulaki@gmail.com.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koukoulaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Evangelismos General Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Papadaki
authors.affiliation: First Department of Surgery, Transplant Unit, Evangelismos General Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pistolas
authors.affiliation: First Department of Surgery, Transplant Unit, Evangelismos General Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Balaska
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Evangelismos General Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hadjicontantinou
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Evangelismos General Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Paniara
authors.affiliation: First Department of Surgery, Transplant Unit, Evangelismos General Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Drakopoulos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001739:BK Virus / Q000235:genetics*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D027601:Polyomavirus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine / Q000821:virology*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013997:Time Factors; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D014556:Urine / Q000821:virology; D019562:Viral Load; D014766:Viremia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral