doiSerbia

The prevalence of the most important viral infections in renal transplant recipients in Serbia

Ćupić Maja (Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Belgrade)
Lazarević Ivana (Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Belgrade)
Pravica Vera (Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Belgrade)
Banko Ana (Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Belgrade)
Karalić Danijela (Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Belgrade)
Naumović R. (Clinic of Nephrology, Clinical Center of Serbia, Faculty of Medicine, Belgrade)
Kravljača Milica (Clinic of Nephrology, Clinical Center of Serbia, Faculty of Medicine, Belgrade)
Jovanović Tanja (Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Belgrade)

Viruses are the main cause of opportunistic infections after kidney transplantation. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), B. K. virus (BKV) and John Cunningham virus (JCV) infections in renal transplant recipients (RTR). This retrospective study of 112 RTR investigated the presence of CMV, EBV and polyomaviruses DNA in plasma and/or urine by PCR. The visualization of PCR products was performed by electrophoresis on 2% agarose gel stained with ethidium bromide and photographed under a UV light. The chi-square test was used for statistical analysis. CMV DNA was detected in 14/112 (12.5%), EBV DNA in 4/49 (8.16%), BKV DNA in 10/31 (32.26%) and JCV DNA in 3/31 (9.68%) RTR. These results show that CMV infection is more often present in RTR compared to other investigated viral infections. In the light of these results, molecular testing could be useful in identifying recipients at high risk of symptomatic post-transplant viral infection.

Keywords: Kidney transplantation, viral infections, renal transplant recipients, viral and molecular diagnostic procedures

Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 175073, br. 175038 and br. 175089