title: First epidemiologic study in Argentina of the prevalence of BK viruria in kidney transplant patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The worldwide seroprevalence of human BK polyomavirus (BKV) in adults is 80%. About 10%-60% of renal transplant recipients experience BKV infection, nephropathy of the graft may occur in 5% of the cases, and up to 45% lose the graft. The aim of this work was to describe the prevalence of BK viruria during the 1st year after transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  An epidemiologic multicenter cross-sectional study was carried out in consecutive patients at each site with kidney transplantation from August 2011 to July 2012. Clinically significant viruria was defined as >10(7) copies/mL. Viral DNA was extracted with the use of silica columns. Quantification was performed with the use of real-time polymerase chain reaction with primers that amplify a fragment of the large T-antigen gene and with a specific Taqman-MGB probe for BKV. For each assay, a standard curve with a quantified plasmid was included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 402 renal transplant recipients at 18 renal transplant sites, we analyzed 382; median age was 46.33 years, and 46.40% were female. The median of the temporal distribution for urine samples was 153 days. BK virus was detected in 50/382 samples (13%), 18 with values >10(7) copies/mL (4.7%). The median of the distribution of positive values was 123 days and the highest frequency of positive values was in months 3-7. The conditions of recipient older than 34 years and donor older than 41 years were the only ones that showed statistically significant association with BK viruria. No association with any specific immunosuppressive drug was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first multicenter study conducted in Argentina to determine the prevalence of BK viruria in renal transplant recipients. Because of the growing number of the population susceptible to this infection, it is important to register and describe data about its epidemiology and associated risk factors.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Nefrología y Trasplante Renal, Hospital Argerich, CABA, Argentina. Electronic address: rubenschiavelli@yahoo.com.ar.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schiavelli
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neurovirosis, INEI-ANLIS "C.G.Malbrán", CABA, Argentina.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bonaventura
authors.affiliation: Nephrology, CABA, Argentina.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Rial
authors.affiliation: CRAI Sur, Provincia de BA, Argentina.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Petrone
authors.affiliation: CEMIC, CABA, Argentina.
authors.forename: G Soler
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Pujol
authors.affiliation: Clínica de Nefrología, Urología y Enfermedades Cardiovasculares, Santa Fe, Argentina.
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Gaite
authors.affiliation: Clínica La Entrerriana, Entre Rios, Argentina.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Acosta
authors.affiliation: Clínica La Entrerriana, Entre Rios, Argentina.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gutierrez
authors.affiliation: Hospital Provincial Centenario, Rosario, Argentina.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Acosta
authors.affiliation: CRAI Norte, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Valdez
authors.affiliation: Fundación Favaloro, CABA, Argentina.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Raffaele
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Nefrología y Trasplante Renal, Hospital Argerich, CABA, Argentina.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chanta
authors.affiliation: Hospital de la Comunidad, Mar del Plata, Argentina.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Perez
authors.affiliation: Hospital de la Comunidad, Mar del Plata, Argentina.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Potes
authors.affiliation: Hospital Español de Mendoza, Mendoza, Argentina.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Suso
authors.affiliation: Hospital Español de Mendoza, Mendoza, Argentina.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cremades
authors.affiliation: Hospital Garrahan, CABA, Argentina.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ibañez
authors.affiliation: Hospital Italiano Bs.As., CABA, Argentina.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Imperiali
authors.affiliation: Hospital Italiano Bs.As., CABA, Argentina.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Luxardo
authors.affiliation: Hospital Privado de Córdoba, Cordoba, Argentina.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Castellanos
authors.affiliation: Sanatorio Anchorena.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Maggiora
authors.affiliation: Sanatorio Mitre, CABA, Argentina.
authors.forename: C Agost
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Carreño
authors.affiliation: Hospital Español de la Plata, La Plata, Argentina.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cobos
authors.affiliation: Hospital Perrando, Chaco, Argentina.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Marinic
authors.affiliation: Hospital Perrando, Chaco, Argentina.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Sinchi
authors.affiliation: Novartis Argentina SA.
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Otero
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neurovirosis, INEI-ANLIS "C.G.Malbrán", CABA, Argentina.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Freire
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001118:Argentina; D001739:BK Virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D027601:Polyomavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012307:Risk Factors; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents