What is BK infection?
What is BK infection?
A BK virus (BKV) infection is a common viral infection that usually does not cause problems. The BK virus may be spread if you have contact with infected blood or body fluids, such as saliva. It can spread from one person to another during an organ transplant or from a mother to her baby during delivery.
How do I know if I have BK virus?
BK virus is detectable in both blood and urine. After BK reactivation, the virus is first detectable in the urine, with viremia developing several weeks later. There have been isolated case reports of patients developing viremia without viruria, but this is unusual.
How common is BK virus in kidney transplant?
BKV viremia occurs in 13% and BKV nephropathy in 8% of kidney transplant recipients (5). In a kidney transplant recipient, BKV reactivation can come from the donor or the recipient.
Where does the BK virus come from?
It is not known how this virus is transmitted. It is known, however, that the virus is spread from person to person, and not from an animal source. It has been suggested that this virus may be transmitted through respiratory fluids or urine, since infected individuals periodically excrete virus in the urine.
How is BK virus treated?
The main treatment of BK virus infection is reduction in level of immunosuppression by adjusting immunosuppressive medications such as tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and steroids. Leflunomide is an antiviral drug with immunosuppressant properties that is often administered to kidney transplant patients with BK infection.
What is BK virus infection?
A BK virus (BKV) infection is a common viral infection that usually does not cause problems. The BK virus may be spread if you have contact with infected blood or body fluids, such as saliva (spit). It can spread from one person to another during an organ transplant or from a mother to her baby during birth.
What is BK virus kidney?
BK virus is a virus that rarely causes disease or severe symptoms. After entering into human body, it disseminates to the kidneys, brain, blood etc. and settles down, without disturbing the host s health.
