Prevalence of BK virus in transplant patients at the Hospital de Clínicas, FCM- UNA de Clínicas, FCM-UNA

Abstract

Introduction: BK polyomavirus (PBK) infection is an emerging problem in kidney transplantation that contributes to the chronic loss of kidney grafts, and in which immunosuppression plays a decisive role in its appearance.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of BK virus in transplant patients from the Hospital de Clínicas, FCM-UNA. Period August 2019 to May 2022.

Materials and methods: Observational, descriptive, prospective, cross-sectional study. Twenty-seven patients who underwent kidney transplantation were included, and BKV dosage was requested.

Results: 27 patients with VBK dosage were included, of which 11.11% (3) had positive isolation in plasma or urine. The average age of the patients with positive isolate was 39±3 years, with a maximum age of 52 and a minimum of 22 years. O

them (66.6%) were female, 100% from the Central department. The average time between the transplant and the primary infection in blood or urine was 39+/- 13 months, with a range of 4-31 months, of which 66.6% occurred within 4 months. Regarding the type of donors, (66.6%) were cadaveric donors and (33.3%) were living.

Conclusion: The prevalence of BKV in transplant patients from the Hospital de Clínicas was 11.11%, the average age of those infected was 39 years, predominantly female, from the Central Department, the average time elapsed between the trans- plant and the primary infection was 39 months. In those studied, the cadaveric donor predominated.