Prevalence of BK virus among renal transplant recipients in a tertiary care hospital in Sri Lanka

Abstract

BK virus nephropathy (BKVN) is an important cause of graft failure in post renal transplant patients. Detection of BK virus replication early enables prevention of BK virus nephropathy. Understanding BK virus epidemiology in post renal transplant patients will be useful in implementing a routine screening programme. Objectives were to determine the prevalence of BK virus viruria and viraemia among post renal transplant patients within the first two years of transplantation. A hospital-based, descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 136 clinic and in-ward patients. Plasma and urine were tested for BK virus DNA using real time PCR. Serum creatinine done within two weeks of data collection was recorded. The prevalence of BK virus viruria was 53.67% and viraemia was 11%. Viraemia >1000 copies/ml was associated with abnormal serum creatinine and higher median serum creatinine. No similar association was observed with viruria. Among patients with normal serum creatinine, virus was not detected in urine in 48.9% and plasma in 92.7%. The prevalence of BK virus is high in this study population. Significant viraemia was associated with elevated serum creatinine. Viruria or viraemia was not detected among a large number of patients with normal serum creatinine.