title: Quantification of human polyomavirus JC virus load in urine and blood samples of healthy tribal populations of North-Eastern part of West Bengal, India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Human polyomavirus JC (JCV) is a widespread human virus with profound pathogenic potential. A study was undertaken to quantify JCV load in urine and peripheral blood samples of immunocompetent, apparently healthy tribal individuals of North-Eastern part of West Bengal, India for the first time.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and thirteen samples of urine or blood were collected from different tribal groups of this region. For the quantitative estimation of the viral load in each sample, real-time polymerase chain reaction method using the SYBR Green dye was employed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The viral load estimated was found in the range between 3.5 × 102 and 2.12 × 106 copies/ml of samples having a mean and median viral copy numbers of 8.67 × 105 and 9.19 × 105 copies/ml of sample respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The mean viral DNA load in urine samples of the studied immunocompetent population was found to be higher than that found in a study conducted in the USA, but lower than similar groups of Italy and healthy adult women in the USA. However when compared with median values of viral DNA loads in urine samples of immunocompetent human subjects of Kuwait, Portugal, and Switzerland the observed viral DNA load was found to be substantially higher.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chattaraj
authors.forename: N K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Bera
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dutta
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of North Bengal, Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology, Darjeeling, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bhattacharjee
mesh_terms: D001769:Blood / Q000821:virology*; D002353:Carrier State / Q000821:virology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007577:JC Virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008297:Male; D027601:Polyomavirus Infections / Q000821:virology*; D044382:Population Groups; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000821:virology*; D014556:Urine / Q000821:virology*; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral