Lymphotropic polyomavirus is detected in peripheral blood from immunocompromised and healthy subjects.

Background: Lymphotropic Polyomavirus (LPV) was isolated from a B-lymphoblastoid cell line of an African green monkey. This virus shares some characteristics with human polyomaviruses, but it is antigenically distinct from BK Virus (BKV) and JC Virus (JCV). Seroepidemiological studies revealed that human sera react in the presence of LPV antigens, and, recently, the viral genome was amplified in the peripheral blood from patients affected with HIV-related leukoencephalopathies.

Objectives: The aims of the study were to investigate and compare the presence of LPV DNA with that of JCV and BKV in different biological samples and patient groups.

Study Design: LPV, JCV and BKV DNA were searched and quantified in peripheral blood and CSF from HIV+ patients and in peripheral blood from healthy subjects.

Results: The LPV genome was detected in peripheral blood of both HIV+ patients and healthy subjects, with a prevalence of 7.2% and 4.7% respectively, but not in CSF. However, its presence was less frequent than that of JCV and BKV.

Conclusions: The amplification of LPV genome from human peripheral blood confirms the fact that LPV can infect the human population. LPV DNA was amplified from patients affected with HIV-related leukoencephalopathies but also from HIV patients without neurological disorders and from healthy subjects. Therefore, the results do not support the hypothesis of an association between LPV infection and any neurological disease. However, given their high similarity, it is possible that LPV, as well as BKV and JCV, could establish latency in humans and cause disease only in rare circumstances.