LONG-TERM OUTCOME OF SCREENING FOR POLYOMA BK VIRUS INFECTION IN KIDNEY TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS

Bk virus (bkv) infection was studied prospectively in 50 unselected consecutive patients whohad undergone kidney transplantation. infection was monitored for one year after transplantation.viral dna in urine (viruria) and plasma (viremia) samples was detected by nested, qualitative polymerasechain reaction. bkv screening data was available for 92% (n = 46) of patients enrolledin the study. four groups of patients were distinguished: uninfected patients (group 1, n = 30), patientswith viruria (group 2, n = 3), patients with viremia (group 3, n = 6) and patients with developedbkv nephropathy (group 4, n = 7). infection was observed starting form the first month, andthe maximum number of patients with active bkv infection occurred at six months after transplantation.five-year graft survival was 69% for patients with any evidence of bkv infection, comparedwith 80.0% (p = ns) for patients without bkv infection. the best graft function wasobserved in group one patient (mean serum creatinine 130 mkmol/l and glomerular filtration rate(gfr) 60.9 ml/min) and the worst in group 4 (mean serum creatinine 180 mkmol/l and gfr 52.31ml/min) at five years after transplantation. five-year patient survival was 82.6% and was not affectedby presence of bkv infection.