Rheumatism: Open Access

BK Polyomavirus in Patient with Systemic Sclerosis

BK virus (BKV) is a polyomavirus widely present in humans. It mostly manifests as polyomavirus-associated nephropathy in kidney transplant patients and can lead to the loss of the renal allograft in half of the cases. Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a connective tissue disease, which affects skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract and musculoskeletal system. Involvement of internal organs results in significant morbidity and mortality of patients with SSc. Renal involvement in patients diagnosed of SSc is of about 50%. Involvement includes Scleroderma Renal Crisis (SRC), glomerulonephritis associated with myeloperoxidasespecific anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (MPO-ANCA), glomerular filtration rate reduction, and proteinuria. We present a case report of a patient with Systemic Sclerosis and renal involvement, where the anatomopathological exam of urine sample revealed the presence of cytopathic cells change suggestive of BKV infection, confirmed by SV40 immunohistochemistry and molecular biology in urine Polyomavirus (PCR) for BKV.

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