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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, March 2004, p. 1176-1180, Vol. 42, No. 3
0095-1137/04/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JCM.42.3.1176-1180.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Correlates of Quantitative Measurement of BK Polyomavirus (BKV) DNA with Clinical Course of BKV Infection in Renal Transplant Patients

Parmjeet Randhawa,1* Andrew Ho,1 Ron Shapiro,2 Abhay Vats,3 P. Swalsky,1 Sydney Finkelstein,1 John Uhrmacher,1 and Karen Weck1

Departments of Pathology,1 Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine,2 Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania3

Received 21 July 2003/ Returned for modification 27 August 2003/ Accepted 2 November 2003

BK virus-allograft nephropathy (BKVAN) is an increasingly recognized complication after kidney transplantation. Quantitative tests have been advocated to monitor patients, but data demonstrating their efficacy are relatively limited. We developed a real-time PCR assay to quantitate BK virus loads in the setting of renal transplantation, and we correlated the BK virus load with clinical course and with the presence of BK virus in renal biopsy specimens. BK virus loads were measured in urine, plasma, and kidney biopsy samples in three clinical settings: (i) patients with asymptomatic BK viruria, (ii) patients with active BKVAN, and (iii) patients with resolved BKVAN. Active BKVAN was associated with BK viremia greater than 5 x 103 copies/ml and with BK viruria greater than 107 copies/ml in all cases. Resolution of nephropathy led to resolution of viremia, decreased viruria levels, and disappearance of viral inclusions, but low-level viral DNA persisted in biopsy specimens even for patients whose viruria was cleared. All but one patient in the resolved BKVAN group carried a urinary viral load below 107 copies/ml. Viral loads in patients with asymptomatic viruria were generally lower but in some cases overlapped with levels more typical of BKVAN. One patient with asymptomatic viruria and with a viral load overlapping values seen in BKVAN had developed nephropathy by the time of follow-up. In conclusion, serial measurement of viral loads by quantitative PCR is a useful tool in monitoring the course of BK virus infection. The results should be interpreted in conjunction with the clinical picture and biopsy findings.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: C 903.1 Presbyterian University Hospital, Transplantation Pathology, 200 Lothrop St., Pittsburgh, PA 15213. Phone: (412) 647-7646. Fax: (412) 647-5237. E-mail: randhawapa{at}msx.upmc.edu.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, March 2004, p. 1176-1180, Vol. 42, No. 3
0095-1137/04/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JCM.42.3.1176-1180.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



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