title: High frequency of Merkel cell polyomavirus DNA in the urine of kidney transplant recipients and healthy controls.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Polyomavirus (PyV) infection is common, ranging from 60% to 100% depending on the virus. The urinary excretion rates of JC virus (JCV) and BK virus (BKV) have been extensively studied, but less is known about the more recently discovered PyVs.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the urinary excretion of Merkel cell PyV (MCPyV), which is associated with Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), in kidney transplant recipients and healthy subjects, as well as those of lymphotropic polyomavirus (LPV), which was isolated from the B-cells of African green monkeys but has also been found in human blood, JCV and BKV.
  
  
  METHODS
  Urine samples were collected from 62 adult (ATP) and 46 pediatric (PTP) kidney transplant recipients and from 67 adult (AHC) and 40 pediatric (PHC) healthy controls. DNA was isolated and analyzed using real-time PCR (Q-PCR) to determine the viral loads of MCPyV, LPV, JCV and BKV.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MCPyV DNA was more frequently detected (p<0.05) in the PTP (36.9%) and PHC (30.0%) groups compared to JCV (8.7% in PTP, 12.5% in PHC), BKV (6.5% in PTP, 2.5% in PHC), and LPV (2.2% in PTP, 5% in PHC) and in the AHC (47.8%) group compared to BKV (13.4%) and LPV (0%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on the results, it could be concluded that: (a) Despite the rarity of MCC, MCPyV is a common infection; (b) MCPyV demonstrates an excretion pattern similar to those of JCV and BKV, persisting in the kidney and infecting skin cells upon reactivation, with subsequent integration and transformation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milano, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Signorini
authors.affiliation: Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation Unit, Clinica Pediatrica De Marchi, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Mirco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Belingheri
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milano, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ambrogi
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbiology and Virology, Comprensorio Sanitario di Bolzano, Azienda Sanitaria dell'Alto Adige, Bolzano, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pagani
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, University of Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Sandro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Binda
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milano, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosalia
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ticozzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Milan, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Mariano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferraresso
authors.affiliation: Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation Unit, Clinica Pediatrica De Marchi, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Luciana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ghio
authors.affiliation: Nephrology and Dialysis Unit, Comprensorio Sanitario di Bolzano, Azienda Sanitaria dell'Alto Adige, Bolzano, Italy.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Giacon
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milano, Milano, Italy; Ettore Sansavini Foundation, Health Science Foundation, Lugo, RA, Italy.
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ferrante
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milano, Milano, Italy; Istituto Clinico Città Studi, Milano, Italy. Electronic address: Serena.delbue@unimi.it.
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Delbue
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011120:Polyomavirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D066027:Transplant Recipients; D014556:Urine / Q000821:virology*; D019562:Viral Load; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral
keywords: Kidney transplant recipients; Merkel cell polyomavirus; Polyomaviruses; Urinary excretion