BK and JC Viruses in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Prevalent and Persistent BK Viruria, Sequence Stability of the Viral Regulatory Regions, and Nondetectable Viremia

• Published in: The Journal of infectious diseases Vol. 180; no. 1; pp. 1 - 9
• Main Authors: Sundsfjord, Arnfinn, Osei, Awuku, Rosenqvist, Hanne, Van Ghelue, Marijke, Silsand, Yngve, Haga, Hans-Jacob, Rekvig, Ole Petter, Moens, Ugo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chicago, IL The University of Chicago Press 01.07.1999; University of Chicago Press
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; BK virus; BK Virus - genetics; Cross-Sectional Studies; DNA; DNA, Viral - blood; DNA, Viral - urine; Female; Follow up studies; Human viral diseases; Humans; Immunosuppression; Infectious diseases; JC virus; JC Virus - genetics; Kidney - virology; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic - complications; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic - etiology; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic - virology; Major Articles; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Nucleotide sequences; Nucleotides; Papillomavirus Infections - blood; Papillomavirus Infections - complications; Papillomavirus Infections - epidemiology; Papillomavirus Infections - urine; Polymerase chain reaction; Polyomavirus; Prevalence; Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; Specimens; Tumor Virus Infections - blood; Tumor Virus Infections - complications; Tumor Virus Infections - epidemiology; Tumor Virus Infections - urine; Urine; Viral diseases; Viral diseases with cutaneous or mucosal lesions and viral diseases of the eye; Viremia; Virus Shedding; Viruses; Human; Urine; Immunopathology; Connective tissue disease; Skin disease; Prevalence; Genetic variability; Nucleotide sequence; Polyomavirus; Non coding sequence; Autoimmune disease; Identification; BK virus; Papovaviridae; Infection; Virus; JC virus; DNA; Viral disease; Systemic disease; Lupus erythematosus; Diagnosis; Clinical isolate
• ISSN: 0022-1899; 1537-6613
• DOI: 10.1086/314830

A role for polyomaviruses in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has been suggested. BK virus (BKV) and JC virus (JCV) were demonstrated in single urine specimens from 7 (16%) of 44 and 5 (11%) of 44 patients with SLE and 0/88 and 18 (21%) of 88 matched healthy controls, respectively. During a 1-year follow-up study, episodes of polyomaviruria were detected in 16 (80%) of 20 patients, BKV in 13, and JCV in 3 patients. A group of 12 (60%) of 20 patients demonstrated persistent or recurrent polyomaviruria, BKV viruria (n = 9), or JCV viruria (n = 3) in 180 (70%) of 256 specimens. Polyomaviruria was not significantly associated with immunosuppressive therapy. The BKV and JCV isolates revealed predominantly stable archetypal regulatory regions over 3 years, indicating viral persistence rather than reinfection as a cause for urinary shedding. The demonstration of nondetectable viremia and stable archetypal BKV and JCV noncoding control regions during persistent viruria argue against the urinary tract as a focus for the creation of rearranged regulatory region variants.