Prevalence and risk factors of polyomavirus BK replication in simultaneous pancreas/kidney transplant recipients from a single transplant center.

Background: BK virus (BKV) replication is considered as a marker of risk for polyomavirus BK-associated nephropathy (PVAN). We evaluated the occurrence and risk factors for BKV DNA positivity following simultaneous pancreas/kidney transplantation (SPK).

Methods: Point prevalence of BK viruria and viremia was assessed in 183 SPK recipients.

Kidney retransplantation following graft loss to polyoma virus-associated nephropathy: an effective treatment option in simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplant recipients.

Polyomavirus-associated nephropathy (PVAN) has emerged as an important cause of graft loss following kidney transplantation. Experience with kidney retransplantation (reKT) in PVAN is very limited, especially in the setting of uninterrupted immunosuppression protecting the still functioning pancreatic graft after simultaneous pancreas/kidney transplantation (SPK). We present a review of five cases of reKT in four SPK recipients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus from a single centre (a second reKT was performed in one patient following first reKT failure due PVAN recurrence).