Successful treatment of polyomavirus infection in kidney allograft recipients: case reports and literature review

ABSTRACT

Background: Polyomavirus nephropathy, also termed BK virus nephropathy, is an infectious complication after kidney transplantation, causing allograft failure. The state of immunosuppression of the patient is the principal risk for the infection. Most cases of BK virus nephropathy were associated with the use of potent immunosuppressive regimens like tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil. To the best of our knowledge, no patient with BK virus nephropathy has been reported in Southeast Asia.Objective: We report two cases of BK virus nephropathy in patients who received the immunosuppressive regimen of sirolimus with cyclosporine. We also review the literature regarding the pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, and treatment strategies.