Prevalence of JC and BK polyomavirus excretion in the urine of HIV-infected patients from Serbia

BK virus (BKV) and JC virus (JCV) persist as latent infection in the kidneys. Reactivation of both viruses may be linked to immunodeficiency. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of BKV and JCV viruria and to evaluate the relationship between immunodeficiency and viruria in a cohort of HIV-infected patients. Urine samples from 93 HIV-infected patients were collected and tested for the presence of BKV and JCV DNA by PCR. The overall prevalence of polyomavirus DNA in urine was 74.2%. BKV DNA was detected in 30.1% urine samples and JCV DNA in 23.7% samples. Both BKV and JCV DNA were detected in 20.4% samples. There was no association between BKV/JCV urinary shedding and the degree of immunosuppression measured by CD4+ cell count. However, taking into account the severity of disease resulting from reactivation of BKV and JCV, patients with HIV/polyomavirus co-infection should be kept under frequent and regular supervision. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 175073