BK virus colonic ulcerations

Abstract

The papovavirus is categorized into 2 subgroups, the papilloma and the polyoma. Members of the papilloma subgroup include the human papilloma virus, whereas those of the polyoma subgroup include the BK virus (BKV), JC virus (JCV), and Simian virus 40 (SV 40). The BKV is approximately 40 nm in diameter with a nonenveloped, icosahedral virus containing doublestranded DNA. BKV is being increasingly recognized as a cause of renal allograft dysfunction and failure. Although BKV has been reported in association with cystitis, 1,2 nephritis, ureteral stenosis, 3–5 encephalitis, 6 interstitial pneumonia, 7 hepatic dysfunction, 8 central nervous system neoplasm, 9,10 and pancreatic islet tumors, 9 to date, BKV has not been reported as a cause of gastrointestinal disease. We report a patient with cadaveric renal transplant who presented with abdominal pain and diarrhea. Colonoscopic examination showed colonic ulcers caused by BKV. To our knowledge, this is the first case reported of BKV-induced colonic ulcers in an immunocompromised host.