title: Correlation between the presence of degenerated inclusion-bearing cells in voided urine samples and the occurrence of polyomavirus infection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the present, prospective, cohort study was to monitor urine cytology samples from recipients of renal transplants to search for the occurrence of decoy cells and degenerated inclusion-bearing cells with an aim to correlate the existence of these cells with molecular detection of polyomavirus BK (BKV) DNA in urine.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included patients who underwent renal transplantation. Patients had their urine tested quarterly, during the first year post-transplantation, for the presence of decoy cells and degenerated cells, as well as by quantitative determination of BKV load in the urine and plasma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three hundred and sixty-one examinations were performed on 101 patients within 12 months of attendance. Urine cytology results were: 198 (54.9%) negative and 60 (16.6%) positive for the presence of viral cytopathic effects depending on the presence of BKV infection, 72 (19.9%) positive for the manifestation of degenerated cells and 31 (8.6%) unsatisfactory for analysis. There was a subtle tendency towards the presence of degenerated inclusion-bearing cells in cases in which the virus was detected in voided urine. However, the presence of degenerated cells exhibited a tendency to BKV positivity in months 3, 6 and 9 and, exclusively in month 12, this trend was statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There were not enough strong morphological and staining elements to state the origin of the degenerated cells or to describe the nature of the infection (viral or bacterial), given that these cells were undergoing an apoptotic process in post renal transplant patients.
authors: Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors: A D
authors: AD
authors: Ranzi
authors: Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors: G O
authors: GO
authors: Introíni
authors: Irmandade da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Porto Alegre (ISCMPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors: J C
authors: JC
authors: Prolla
authors: Irmandade da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Porto Alegre (ISCMPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Brackmann
authors: Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors: N C
authors: NC
authors: Bassani
authors: Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil.|Irmandade da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Porto Alegre (ISCMPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors: A C
authors: AC
authors: Pasqualotto
authors: Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors: C G
authors: CG
authors: Bica
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001739:BK Virus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003581:Cytodiagnosis / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D027601:Polyomavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000652:urine / Q000821:virology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000652:urine / Q000821:virology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: BKV; degenerated cells; polyomavirus; renal transplantation; urine