Journal of Clinical Virology - Volume 82 - Supplement 1 - September 2016

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S98 Abstracts / Journal of Clinical Virology 82S (2016) S1–S142
Abstract no: 187
Presentation at ESCV 2016: Poster 155
BK virus infections in renal transplant
recipients
N. Kasifoglu ∗, M. Aslan, A. Cifci, T. Us
Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Faculty of Medicine,
Department of Microbiology, Eskisehir, Turkey
The BK virus is a member of the polyomavirus family. Infec-
tions with BK virus arewidespreadwith a seroprevalence of around
80% in the general population. Following an asymptomatic primary
infection, BK virus remains latent in healthy subjects. Reactivation
occurs in immunocompromised patients. BK virus is pathogenic
mainly among patients who have received a kidney transplant,
in whom the virus can cause specific tubulo-interstitial nephri-
tis and even result in graft failure among approximately 20–30%
of nephritic cases. The cornerstone of BK virus infection or BK
virus-associated nephropathy treatment is to decrease the immu-
nosuppressive regimen, which must then be offset with the risk
of rejection. BK Virus Nephropathy (BKVN) occurs in up to 10% of
renal transplant recipients (RRT) and can result in graft loss in up
to 50% of those affected.
In this study, we retrospectively analyzed the presence of BK
virus in plasma and urine samples of patients applied to the
Nephrology Clinic of our hospital between 2010–2015. BK virus
DNA was determined by real-time PCR using artus BK virus RG PCR
kit (Qiagen, Germany) on the Rotor-Gene system(Corbett Research,
Australia). The analytical sensitivity of the kit is 0.195 copies/ l
according to the user manual.
A total of 243 samples (urine and plasma) from 131 patients
(69 male, 62 female), ages ranging from 20 to 72 were enrolled.
BK virus DNA was detected in 56 (38.6%) urine samples and in
27 (13.1%) plasma samples. In 19 simultaneously sent urine and
plasma sample pairs of 13 patients, BK virus DNA was positive. The
minimum and maximum DNA levels of positive urine and plasma
samples were as 4–1.4 ×108 copies/ml and 6–5.3 × 104 copies/ml
respectively.
In conclusion quantitative viral load monitoring for BK virus
(BKV) in urine and plasma samples by real-time PCR is an important
tool in the management of polyomavirus associated nephropathy
in renal transplant patients.
Abstract no: 190
Presentation at ESCV 2016: Poster 156
The impact of viral respiratory infections in the
first year post-transplant period of pediatric
hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT)
recipients
Antonio Piralla ∗, Chiara Gagliardone ,
Alessia Girello , Marta Premoli ,
Giulia Campanini , Nunzia Decembrino ,
Laura Rubert , Patrizia Comoli , Marco Zecca ,
Fausto Baldanti
1 Molecular Virology Unit, Microbiology and Virology
Department, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San
Matteo, Pavia, Italy
2 Pediatric Hematology-Oncology and Research
Laboratories, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San
Matteo, Pavia, Italy
3 Section of Microbiology, Department of Clinical,
Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences,
University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
Background: Infection caused by respiratory viruses (RV) is a
threat for hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients.
RVs in HSCT patients with respiratory syndromes should be strictly
monitored in the pre-engraftment or early post- transplantation
period and in patients with acute or chronic GVHD. Due to the high
morbidity and mortality rates associated with RVs infections and
the lack of directed antiviral therapy for most of these infections,
prevention remains the mainstay for reducing their incidence and
controlling transmission in HCT recipients. This retrospective study
aimed to investigate the incidence and the duration of respiratory
episodes caused by viruses in pediatric HSCT recipients.
Material and methods: Patients who underwent allogeneic
or autologous HSCT at Pediatric Hematology–Oncology Unit, Fon-
dazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia from January 2010 to
December 2014 were analyzed. Respiratory samples from patients
with respiratory syndromes were routinely tested using a panel
of RT-PCR and real-rime RT-PCR assays for 12 respiratory viruses
within the first year post-transplant.
Results: One hundred eighty-six HSCT recipients including 158
(84.9%) allogenic (80 MUD, 56 PMFD, 21 MFD, and 1 sibling) and 28
(15.1%) autologous transplants were evaluated. In 118/186 (63.4%)
patients at least one respiratory episode caused by viruses was
identified, while 68/186 (36.6%) patients were negative. Among
positive patients, 73/118 (61.9%) had a single viral respiratory
episode, while 45/118 (38.1%) had multiple episodes (29 with 2
episodes, 8 with 3, 8 with 4 and 1 with 6). In patients with mul-
tiple viral episodes, the first episode was observed significantly
earlier (median 17.5 days; range 1–349 days) than patients expe-
riencing a single viral episode (median 62 days; range 1–358 days;
p = 0.01). A total of 192 viral episodes, including 174 (90.6%) sin-
gle infections and 18 (9.4%) co-infections were observed. Among
episodes sustained by a single virus, HRVs were the most preva-
lent viruses with 54.0% followed by respiratory syncytial virus
(13.2%), human coronaviruses (9.2%), human parainfluenza viruses
(8.0%), influenza A (6.3%), adenovirus (6.3%), and influenza B (2.9%).
Twenty-seven episodes (14.0% of total) of prolonged infections
defined as viral shedding ≥30 days were observed. The median
duration of viral shedding was 64 days (range 30–159 days). In
18/27 (66.6%) patients, the onset of infection occurred during the
induction and before transplant engraftment (<30 days from TX).
In these patients, the duration of viral episodes was higher than
those observed in the remaining 9 patients, in which the onset