Pre-transplant shedding of BK virus in urine is unrelated to post-transplant viruria and viremia in kidney transplant recipients.
BK virus-(BKV) associated nephropathy (BKVN) is a major cause of allograft injury in kidney transplant recipients. In such patients, subclinical reactivation of latent BKV infection can occur in the pre-transplant period. The purpose of this study was to determine whether urinary BKV shedding in the immediate pre-transplant period is associated with a higher incidence of viruria and viremia during the first year after kidney transplantation. We examined urine samples from 34 kidney transplant recipients, using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction to detect BKV. Urine samples were obtained in the immediate pre-transplant period and during the first year after transplant on a monthly basis. If BKV viruria was detected, blood samples were collected and screened for BKV viremia. In the immediate pre-transplant period, we detected BKV viruria in 11 (32.3%) of the 34 recipients. During the first year after transplantation, we detected BKV viruria in all 34 patients and viremia in eight (23.5%). We found no correlation between pre-transplant viruria and post-transplant viruria or viremia (p = 0.2). Although reactivation of latent BKV infection in the pre-transplant period is fairly common among kidney transplant recipients, it is not a risk factor for post-transplant BKV viruria or viremia.
Department of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, Hospital das Clínicas, São Paulo, Brazil.
C S
CS
Bicalho
Virology Laboratory, São Paulo Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
R R
RR
Oliveira
Department of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, Hospital das Clínicas, São Paulo, Brazil.
L C
LC
Pierrotti
Virology Laboratory, São Paulo Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
M C D S
MC
Fink
Virology Laboratory, São Paulo Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
P R P
PR
Urbano
Virology Laboratory, São Paulo Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
L H S
LH
Nali
Virology Laboratory, São Paulo Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
E J A
EJ
Luna
Virology Laboratory, São Paulo Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
C M
CM
Romano
Department of Pathology, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil.
D R
DR
David
Renal Transplant Division, University of São Paulo School of Medicine Hospital das Clínicas, São Paulo, Brazil.
E
E
David-Neto
Virology Laboratory, São Paulo Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
C S
CS
Pannuti
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001739:BK Virus / Q000235:genetics*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000652:urine*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D027601:Polyomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000821:virology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012307:Risk Factors; D066027:Transplant Recipients; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000821:virology; D016482:Urinalysis; D014766:Viremia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000821:virology; D017201:Virus Shedding; D055815:Young Adult
D004279:DNA, Viral
BKV real-time PCR; BKV replication; kidney transplant recipients; risk factor; viremia; viruria