MOLECULAR DETECTION OF BK VIRUS REACTIVATION IN URINE SAMPLES FROM KIDNEY TRANSPLANT RECIPENTS

Background & Amis: BK polyomavirus (BKV) is common infection of childhood that persists in kidney epithelium. BKV reactivation characterized by viruria occurs in 35% to 57% of renal allograft recipients. BK virus was detected in serum samples in 6% to 29% of these patients. BKV-associated nephropathy occurs in as many as 8% of renal allograft recipients and may lead to. This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of BK virus viruria in our renal transplant recipients. The relationship between presence of BK virus viruria with age, sex, time period after transplantation, dialysis duration before transplantation, immunosuppressive regime, acute rejection and diabetes was studied.

This study was conducted on 130 kidney transplant recipients referring to Imam Khomini hospital of Urmia. We detected BKV viruria by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Among 130 cases of kidney transplant recipients, BKV viruria was found in 26 (20%) patients. The median time to detect viruria was 30 months post-transplant (P = 0.01). There was no significant relationship between the BK viruria considering age, sex, time period after transplantation, dialysis duration, immunosuppressive regime, acute rejection, creatinine, and diabetes.

Our results indicate that one fifth of our transplant recipients excrete BK virus in their urine. Detection of polyomavirus BKV-DNA in urine is important to make early diagnosis of BK virus infection. This provides an important basis for the prevention of BK virus associated nephropathy.