Archives of Biological Sciences (Jan 2012)

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

  • Ćupić Maja,
  • Lazarević Ivana,
  • Pravica Vera,
  • Banko Ana,
  • Karalić Danijela,
  • Naumović R.,
  • Kravljača Milica,
  • Jovanović Tanja

DOI
https://doi.org/10.2298/ABS1204285C
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 64, no. 4
pp. 1285 – 1296

Abstract

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

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