BK and JC polyomavirus infections in Tunisian renal transplant recipients

Abstract

The aim of this prospective study was to investigate the rate of BK (BKPyV) and JC (JCPyV) polyomavirus infections and their influence on allograft function in Tunisian renal transplant recipients. A total of 72 renal transplant recipients were studied. BKPyV and JCPyV were detected and quantified by real-time PCR in urine and plasma. Demographic and laboratory characteristics were collected for each patient. Polyomavirus DNAuria was detected in 54 (75%) of renal transplant recipients: 26 (36%) had BKPyV DNAuria, 20 (28%) had JCPyV DNAuria, and 8 (11%) had a dual BKPyV/JCPyV DNAuria. BKPyV DNAemia was detected in four (5.5%) patients, whereas no patient had JCPyV viremia. More than 70% of BKPyV and JCPyV infections started within the first 3 months post-transplant. The risk for positive DNAemia was observed in patients with DNAuria level >10(7) copies/ml. BK Polyomavirus-associated nephropathy (BKPyVAN) was observed in two patients. This study highlights the high frequency of BKPyV and JCPyV viruria during the first year post-transplant with the highest incidence observed in the third month. We identified several risk factors that were associated with BKV DNAuria including age, sex of patients, and the use of tacrolimus instead of cyclosporine A at month 3. The use of cyclosporine A instead of tacrolimus was identified as risk factor for JCV viruria in month 3. No statistical difference in the allograft function was found between BKPyV and/or JCPyV infected and uninfected patients.

Absence of JC polyomavirus (JCPyV) viremia in early post‐transplant JCPyV nephropathy: A case report

“…Predominantly, JCPyVAN is described as a decline of renal function in conjunction with detection of JCPyV in the urine specimen and should be confirmed with compatible histologic finding, positive SV40 staining. The majority of nephropathy cases did not have JCPyV viremia but only JCPyV viruria, which is consistent with our patient . A report from Querido et al .…”

Frequency of JC Virus Appearance in the Urine of Post-Transplantation Patients

“…In this study, JCV was detected in 27.6% of all test patients. Other studies of transplant patients and normal population have observed a JCV prevalence between 9.5-38% [12,13,14]. Indeed, Boukoum et al [13] detected JCV viruria in 13% of all healthy individuals, but in 38% of all kidney transplant recipients in their test population.…”

“…There was no significant differences observed between control and study groups. Boukoum et al [12] in their analysis of occurrence polyomaviruses, noted that JCV was detected in 9.5% of all urine samples, whereas JCV was not detected in plasma.…”

BK and JC virus infections in healthy patients compared to kidney transplant recipients in Tunisia

“…All the previous BKPyV and JCPyV results from healthy individuals were compared with results from KTx previously described [7]. Any polyomavirus urinary shedding was significantly more frequent in KTx than in healthy persons and the urinary viral loads of the two viruses were also significantly higher in KTx than healthy group.…”

“…Plasma and urine samples were also collected from 72 kidney transplant recipients (KTx) enrolled in a prospective study described elsewhere [7]. Ethical permission on this research study was granted by the Ethics and Research Committee of the Fatouma Bourguiba hospital.…”