Polyomavirus surveillance in cetaceans of Brazil: first detection of polyomavirus in Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis).

Polyomaviruses (PyVs) are small double-stranded DNA viruses able to infect species across all vertebrate taxa. In cetaceans, PyVs have been reported only in short-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus delphis), common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) and killer whale (Orcinus orca). Herein, we surveyed PyV in 119 cetaceans (29 mysticetes and 90 odontocetes) stranded along the Brazilian coast, from 2002 to 2022, comprising 18 species. DNA extracted from the lungs was tested using a nested PCR targeting the major capsid protein gene of PyV. Polyomavirus was detected in lung samples of 1.7% (2/119) cetaceans: two juvenile female Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis) stranded in Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro state) and Guriri (Espírito Santo state), in 2018. Both retrieved sequences were identical and presented 93.3% amino acid identity with Zetapolyomavirus delphini, suggesting a novel species. On histopathology, one of the PyV-positive individuals presented basophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies morphologically consistent with polyomavirus in the lungs. Other available tissues from both cases were PyV-PCR-negative; however, both individuals tested positive for Guiana dolphin morbillivirus. To our knowledge, this is the first report of PyV infection in cetaceans of the Southern Hemisphere and the first description of a co-infection with morbillivirus.

Risk factors and outcome of BK polyomavirus infection in pediatric kidney transplantation.

BACKGROUND: BK polyomavirus (BKV) infection is a critical complication hindering graft survival after kidney transplantation. We aimed to investigate the risk factors and outcome of BKV infection in pediatric kidney transplantation. METHODS: The clinical and follow-up data of pediatric kidney transplant recipients at the Children's Hospital of Fudan University from Jan 2015 to June 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 217 patients were included in the study with mean follow-up time of 24.3 ± 19.9 months. The mean age at transplantation was 9.7 ± 4.2 years. The patient survival rate and graft survival rate were 98.2% and 96.8%, respectively. Twenty-nine patients (13.4%) developed BKV infection, which was detected at 5.8 ± 3.2 months after transplantation. Among these 29 patients with BKV infection, 8 patients (3.6%) developed BKV nephropathy (BKVN), which was diagnosed at 8.3 ± 2.9 months after transplantation, and 2 patients developed graft failure eventually. Compared with the non-BKV infection group (eGFR 76.7 ± 26.1 mL/min/1.73 m2) and BKV infection without BKVN group (eGFR 85.2 ± 23.8 mL/min/1.73 m2), BKVN group had lowest eGFR during follow-up (33.5 ± 11.0 ml/min/1.73 m2, P < 0.001). Younger age at transplant (OR 0.850, 95%CI 0.762-0.948, P = 0.005), CAKUT disease of primary etiology (OR 2.890, 95%CI 1.200-6.961, P = 0.018), and CMV negative recipient serostatus before transplantation (OR 3.698, 95%CI 1.583-8.640, P = 0.003) were independent risk factors for BKV infection. CONCLUSIONS: Incidence of BKV infection is quite high within 12 months after pediatric kidney transplantation and children with BKVN have poor graft function. Younger age at transplant, CAKUT disease, and CMV negative recipient serostatus before transplantation increase the risk of BKV infection after kidney transplantation.

Incidence of opportunistic viral infections in hepatitis C virus nucleic acid test negative recipients of kidneys from hepatitis C virus nucleic acid test positive donors.

BACKGROUND: In kidney transplantation, concerns have been raised regarding increased incidence of viral opportunistic infections in hepatitis C virus (HCV) nucleic acid test (NAT)-negative (-) recipients who received HCV NAT-positive (+) donor kidneys, specifically BK polyomavirus (BKPyV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of these three viral opportunistic infections in HCV NAT- recipients who have undergone kidney transplantation with HCV NAT+ donor kidneys at our institution. METHODS: This was an Institutional Review Board-approved, single-center, retrospective case-control study of HCV NAT- kidney transplant recipients with HCV NAT+ donors from 2018 to 2021. The primary outcome was the cumulative incidence of viral infections of BKPyV, CMV, and/or EBV within 1 year following kidney transplantation. RESULTS: A total of 231 patients were included, 77 in the exposed (donor HCV NAT+) group and 154 in the control (donor HCV NAT-) group. The adjusted cumulative incidence of viremia within 1 year did not statistically differ between groups (77% exposed group versus 66% for the control group, hazard ratio 1.34, 95% confidence interval 0.95-1.89). In addition, no statistically significant differences were observed for secondary outcomes with the exception of CMV viremia (62% exposed versus 49% control, p = 0.021). However, there were more patients in the exposed group at high risk for CMV viremia based on serostatus (CMV Donor+/Recipient-, D+/R-). CONCLUSION: Among patients who received HCV NAT+ donor kidneys, no clear association was observed between exposure to HCV NAT+ donor kidneys and viral infections of BKPyV, CMV, or EBV.

Association of polyomavirus infection with lung cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIM: The objective of this study was to investigate the pooled prevalence and possible association between polyomavirus infection and lung cancer. METHODS: A systematic publication search was conducted by identifying relevant cross-sectional and case-control studies from major online databases. Heterogeneity, OR, and corresponding 95 % CI were applied to all studies through meta-analysis and forest plot. Random effects models were used to calculate the overall pooled prevalence. Visual inspection of a funnel plot plotting the log-transformed OR and its associated standard error of the log (OR) was combined with the Begg and Egger test to examine the presence and influence of publication bias. Analyzes were performed using Stata software v.14.1. RESULTS: 23 articles (33 datasets) were included in the meta-analysis, of which 14 datasets were case/control and the rest were cross-sectional studies. The pooled polyomavirus infection rate in lung cancer patients was 0.06 % (0.02-0.11 %). In subgroup analysis, the pooled prevalence of JCV, MCPyV, KI, SV40, BKV, WU, MU, and STL was 21 %, 7 %, 6 %, 2 %, 0 %, 0 %, 0 %, and 0 % respectively. An association has been found between polyomavirus infection and lung cancer [summary OR 6.33 (95 % CI (1.76-22.77); I2=67.45 %)]. The subgroup analysis, based on the virus type, showed a strong association between MCPyV and lung cancer [summary OR 13.61 (95 % CI 2.41-76.59; I2=40.0 %)]. despite the high prevalence of JCV DNA in lung cancer tissue, analysis of case-control studies showed that JCV is not associated with lung cancer and does not increase the risk of lung cancer. CONCLUSION: This study showed a significant association between polyomaviruses infection with lung cancer. The results also revealed a pooled prevalence of 6 % for polyomaviruses in lung tumor patients. Altogether, the findings of the present work suggest that Merkel cell polyomavirus infection is a potential risk factor for lung cancer.

DNA and seroprevalence study of MW and STL polyomaviruses.

The clinical importance and the pathogenesis of the MW and STL polyomaviruses (PyVs) remain unclear. Our aim was to study the seroprevalence of MWPyV and STLPyV, and to examine the prevalence of viral DNA in respiratory samples and secondary lymphoid tissues. In total, 618 serum samples (0.8-90 years) were analyzed for seroprevalence. For the DNA prevalence study, 146 patients (2.5-37.5 years) were sampled for adenoids (n = 100), tonsils (n = 100), throat swabs (n = 146), and middle ear discharge (n = 15) in study Group 1. In Group 2, we analyzed 1130 nasopharyngeal samples from patients (0.8-92 years) tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection. The adult seropositivity was 54% for MWPyV, and 81.2% for STLPyV. Both seroprevalence rates increased with age; however, the majority of STLPyV primary infections appeared to occur in children. MWPyV was detected in 2.7%-4.9% of respiratory samples, and in a middle ear discharge. STLPyV DNA prevalence was 1.4%-3.4% in swab samples, and it was detected in an adenoid and in a middle ear discharge. The prevalence of both viruses was significantly higher in the children. Noncoding control regions of both viruses and the complete genomes of STLPyV were sequenced. MWPyV and STLPyV are widespread viruses, and respiratory transmission may be possible.

Human papillomavirus and Merkel cell polyomavirus in Korean patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer: Evaluation and genetic variability of the noncoding control region.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is an important causative factor of cervical cancer and is associated with nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) is a rare and highly fatal cutaneous virus that can cause Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC). Although coinfection with oncogenic HPV and MCPyV may increase cancer risk, a definitive etiological link has not been established. Recently, genomic variation and genetic diversity in the MCPyV noncoding control region (NCCR) among ethnic groups has been reported. The current study aimed to provide accurate prevalence information on HPV and MCPyV infection/coinfection in NSCLC patients and to evaluate and confirm Korean MCPyV NCCR variant genotypes and sequences. DNA from 150 NSCLC tissues and 150 adjacent control tissues was assessed via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting regions of the large T antigen (LT-ag), viral capsid protein 1 (VP1), and NCCR. MCPyV was detected in 22.7% (34 of 150) of NSCLC tissues and 8.0% (12 of 150) of adjacent tissues from Korean patients. The incidence rates of HPV with and without MCPyV were 26.5% (nine of 34) and 12.9% (15 of 116). The MCPyV NCCR genotype prevalence in Korean patients was 21.3% (32 of 150) for subtype I and 6% (nine of 150) for subtype IIc. Subtype I, a predominant East Asian strain containing 25 bp tandem repeats, was most common in the MCPyV NCCR data set. Our results confirm that coinfection with other tumor-associated viruses is not associated with NSCLC. Although the role of NCCR rearrangements in MCPyV infection remains unknown, future studies are warranted to determine the associations of MCPyV NCCR sequence rearrangements with specific diseases.

High rates of anal Merkel Cell Polyomavirus and HPV co-infection among people living with HIV.

Knowledge of Human Polyomavirus (HPyV) infection in the anal area and its association with sexually transmitted infections such as Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) remains limited. Therefore, anal specimens from 150 individuals of both sexes were analyzed for screening purposes. HPV DNA was found in 50.7% of cases, with a predominance of high-risk (HR) genotypes. HPyV DNA was found in 39.3% of samples, with Merkel Cell Polyomavirus (MCPyV) being the most common, with a higher viral load than JCPyV and BKPyV. In addition, MCPyV viral load increased in people living with HIV (PLWH) with HPV infection (p < 0.0001).

Current status of Merkel cell carcinoma: Epidemiology, pathogenesis and prognostic factors.

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an extremely rare cutaneous neuroendocrine cancer, with an incidence approximately 40 times lower than that of malignant melanoma; however, its significantly inferior survival rate compared to melanoma establishes MCC as the most lethal form of skin cancer. In recent years, a substantial body of literature has demonstrated a gradual increase in the incidence of MCC. Although the two factors that contribute to MCC, ultraviolet radiation and Merkel cell polyomavirus infection, have been well established, the specific pathogenesis of this disease remains unclear. Additionally, considering the high lethality and recurrence rates of MCC, as well as the absence of specific antitumor drugs, it is crucial to elucidate the factors that can accurately predict patients' outcomes. In this review, we summarized the significant advancements in the epidemiological characteristics, pathogenesis, and the factors that influence patient prognosis of MCC to enhance clinical practices and public health efforts.

Analysis of BK Virus Infection in Children After Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation: A Retrospective Single-center Study.

BACKGROUND: BK virus (BKV) is one of the most common causes of hemorrhagic cystitis (HC) in children undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Viruses can be found in urine and serum of immunocompromised patients. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the incidence, clinical course, and risk factors for BKV infection in children undergoing HSCT. METHODS: Retrospectively analyzed children who underwent HSCT at Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University from June 2020 to June 2022. Data related to the clinical manifestations, engraftment, and prognosis were extracted from medical records. Patients were divided into the case group and the control group, according to the BKV infection or not after HSCT. RESULTS: A total of 149 patients were enrolled in this study, and 61 (40.9%) patients developed BKV infection after HSCT. Among the 61 patients, BKV load was detected in all patients in urine samples and 22 patients in blood samples. The median value of BKV DNA copies in urine and plasma were 9.50×10 7 (5.37×10 2 to 6.84×10 9 ) copies/mL and 2.97×10 3 (9.96×10 2 to 3.58×10 8 ) copies/mL, respectively. The median time from beginning of the conditioning regimen to BKV infection was 23 (0 to 273) days, and the first positive time of urinary BKV was earlier than that of blood (13.5 d [0.0 to 123.0 d] vs. 30.5 d [7.0 to 165.0 d], P =0.003). Among the patients with BKV infection, 36 (59.0%) patients met the diagnosis of hemorrhagic cystitis (HC), and the incidence was higher than that in the control group ( P <0.001). Similarly, 15 (24.6%) patients developed renal function damage in the case group and the proportion was higher than that in the control group. The median follow-up was 5.67 (0.03 to 24.90) months, and there was no significant difference in 1-year overall survival rate between the case group and the control group (84.2%±5.7% vs. 95.3%±2.3%, P =0.688), but the incidence of TA-TMA/VOD (31.1%) and diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (9.8%) in the case group was higher than that in the control group ( P =0.002 and 0.038, respectively). Multivariate analysis showed that age above 5 years old (OR=9.039, 95% CI: 3.561-24.333, P <0.001) and use of MMF (OR=2.708, 95% CI: 1.041-7.044, P <0.05) were independent risk factors for BKV infection after HSCT. CONCLUSION: Among children after HSCT, the incidence of BKV infection was high and BKV infection was associated with an increased incidence of TA-TMA/VOD and diffuse alveolar hemorrhage. Patients older than 5 years of age at the time of HSCT and treated with MMF were more likely to develop BKV infection.

Incidence and Outcomes of BK Virus Nephropathy in Kidney Transplant Recipients With Steroid-Free Maintenance Immunosuppression.

BACKGROUND: BK virus nephropathy (BKVN) is a significant complication in kidney transplant recipients, resulting in graft dysfunction and potentially leading to graft loss. This study aims to investigate the incidence and outcomes of BKVN in kidney transplant recipients receiving steroid-free maintenance immunosuppression in a Latin -American cohort. METHODS: Case series study of BKVN among kidney transplant recipients who underwent transplantation between 2008 and 2023. The primary outcome was graft loss caused by BKVN, excluding death with function. Secondary outcomes included graft function and acute rejection episodes. The statistical analysis involved descriptive statistics and the Kaplan-Meier (K-M) method to plot the overall probabilities of not initiating dialysis. RESULTS: During the 15-year period, 2236 kidney transplants were performed, BKVN was histologically diagnosed in 38 kidney recipients and 33 cases were analyzed. Median age was 50 years and men were 48.5% of patients. A total of 45.4% of BKVN occurred within the first 12 months of transplant. The incidence of BKVN was 1.6% but it varied by era. The rate of graft loss was 75.7% (25 cases). The K-M graft survival probability at 6 months and 12 months after diagnosis of BKVN was 38.3% (95% CI 24.7-59.4) and 22.3% (95% CI 11.7-42.8), respectively. CONCLUSION: BKVN affected 1.6% of transplant recipients and it was associated with high-rate of graft loss. We observed that significant graft disfunction at the time of diagnosis resulted in worse outcomes with a reduced probability of graft survival.

Case-control study: Unveiling human polyomaviruses and papillomavirus in Egyptian colorectal cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a cancer type that is thought to be influenced by human papillomaviruses (HPVs) and human polyomaviruses (HPyVs). In Egypt, CRC ranks as the 7th most common cancer, accounting for 3.47% of male cancers and 3% of female cancers. However, there is currently a lack of information regarding the presence of PyVs and HPVs co-infection specifically in CRC cases in Egypt. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of HPVs and HPyVs (JCPyV, BKPyV, and SV40) infections, as well as co-infections, among CRC patients in Egypt. Additionally, the study aimed to assess any potential association between these viral infections and tumor stages. METHODS: In the present study, we analyzed a total of 51 tissue samples obtained from Egyptian CRC patients, along with 19 polyps' samples. Our investigation focused on the detection and genotyping of HPyVs using Real-Time PCR. Additionally, we employed real-time PCR for the detection of HPVs, and for their genotyping, we utilized a combination of PCR amplification followed by sequencing. RESULTS: In our study, we found evidence of HPyVs infection in the CRC patients, specifically SV40 (25.5%) and BKPyV (19.6%). However, JCPyV was not detected in the samples that were examined. Additionally, we discovered that HPV was present in 43.1% of the CRC patients. When considering viral co-infections, 19.6% of the CRC samples showed coexistence of multiple viruses, while no co-infections were found in the polyps samples. Importantly, we observed a significant correlation between the presence of HPVs and advanced colorectal tumor grades B2 and D. CONCLUSION: Our findings provide valuable data for the detection of oncogenic viruses in colorectal cancer (CRC) and underscore the association of viral co-infections with advanced tumor stages. However, further research with larger cohorts is necessary to validate these findings and strengthen their significance in the field of CRC.

Molecular epidemiology and risk factors associated with BK and JC polyomavirus urinary shedding after kidney allograft.

Polyomaviruses BK (BKPyV) and JC (JCPyV), belonging to the Polyomaviridae, are responsible for human pathologies. In kidney transplant recipients, BKPyV replication can lead to irreversible nephron damage whereas JCPyV replication remains asymptomatic. Concomitant replication is rare and potential competition between the infections has been described. The aim of this retrospective case-control study was to describe the molecular epidemiology and risk factors associated with BKPyV and JCPyV replication in a cohort of kidney transplant recipients. In total, 655 urine samples from 460 patients were tested for BKPyV and JCPyV DNA. Positive samples were submitted to strain genotyping. Demographic and clinical characteristics were also compared. Isolated JCPyV and BKPyV was found in 16.5% and 23.3% of patients, respectively; co-replication was rare (3.9%). BKPyV strains Ib-2, Ib-1, and IVc-2 were the most prevalent. JCPyV strains mostly belonged to genotypes 4 and 1B. During follow-up, JCPyV shedding significantly reduced the risk of BKPyV DNAuria, with an odds ratio of 0.57 (95% confidence interval: 0.35-0.99), and was associated with better prognosis than BKPyV replication, based on the estimated glomerular filtration rate. Molecular epidemiology of BKPyV and JCPyV strains in our region was similar to previous studies. This study suggests that JCPyV is benign and appears to limit damaging BKPyV replication. JCPyV DNAuria screening could thus be a useful strategy to predict BKPyV-related outcomes.

Insights into the genetic characteristics, clustering patterns, and phylogeographic dynamics of the JC polyomavirus, 1993 to 2023.

The human JC polyomavirus (JCV) is a widespread, neurotropic, opportunistic pathogen responsible for progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) as well as other diseases in immunosuppressed individuals, including granule cell neuronopathy, JCV-associated nephropathy, encephalitis, and meningitis in rare cases. JCV classification is still unclear, where the ICTV (International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses) has grouped all the strains into human polyomavirus 2, with no classification on clade and subclade levels. Therefore, JCV strains were previously classified using different genomic regions, e.g., full-length, VP1, and the V-T intergenic region etc., and the strains were grouped into several types related to various geographic locations and human ethnicities. However, neither of these classifications and nomenclature contemplates all the groups described so far. Herein, we evaluated all the available full-length coding genomes, VP1, and large T antigen nucleotide sequences of JCV reported during 1993-2023 and classified them into four major phylogenetic clades, i.e., GI-GIV, where GI is further grouped into two types GI.1 and GI.2 with five sub-clades each (GI.1/GI.2 a-e), GII into three (GII a-c), GIII as a separate clade, and GIV into seven sub-clades (GIV a-g). Similarly, the phylogeographic network analysis indicated four major clusters corresponding to GI-GIV clades, each with multiple subclusters and mutational sub-branches corresponding to the subclades. GI and GIV clusters are connected via GI.1-e reported from Europe and America, GII, GIII and GIV clusters are connected by GII-b and GII-c strains reported from Africa, while GIV cluster strains are connected to the Russia-Italy JCV haplotype. Furthermore, we identified JCV-variant-GS/B-Germany-1997 (GenBank ID: AF004350.1) as an inter-genotype recombinant having major and minor parents in the GI.1-e and GII-a clades, respectively. Additionally, the amino acid variability analysis revealed high entropy across all proteins. The large T antigen exhibited the highest variability, while the small t antigen showed the lowest variability. Our phylogenetic and phylogeographic analyses provide a new approach to genotyping and sub-genotyping and present a comprehensive classification system of JCV strains based on their genetic characteristics and geographic distribution, while the genetic recombination and amino acid variability can help identify pathogenicity and develop effective preventive and control measures against JCV infections.

Clinicopathologic Spectrum and Outcomes of Infections Diagnosed on Graft Biopsies and Nephrectomy in Live Renal Allograft Recipients: An Institutional Experience.

OBJECTIVES: Modern immunosuppressive regimens have reduced rejection episodes in renal allograft recipients but have increased the risk of opportunistic infections. Infections are considered to be the second leading cause of death after cardiovascular complications in renal allograft recipients. Data on opportunistic infections affecting the allograft itself are scarce. The present study describes the spectrum of renal opportunistic infections and their outcomes diagnosed on renal allograft biopsies and nephrectomy specimens. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our retrospective observational study was conducted from December 2011 to December 2021. We analyzed infectious episodes diagnosed on renal allograft biopsies or graft nephrectomy specimens. We obtained clinical, epidemiological, and laboratory details for analyses from hospital records. RESULTS: BK virus nephropathy was the most common opportunistic infection affecting the allograft, accounting for 47% of cases, followed by bacterial graft pyelonephritis (25%). Mucormycosis was the most common fungal infection. The diagnosis of infection from day of transplant ranged from 14 days to 39 months. Follow-up periods ranged from 1 to 10 years. Mortality was highest among patients with opportunistic fungal infection (62%), followed by viral infections, and graft failure rate was highest in patients with graft pyelonephritis (50%). Among patients with BK polyomavirus nephropathy, 45% had stable graft function compared with just 33% of patients with bacterial graft pyelonephritis. CONCLUSIONS: BK polyoma virus infection was the most common infection affecting the renal allograft in our study. Although fungal infections caused the highest mortality among our patients, bacterial graft pyelonephritis was responsible for maximum graft failure. Correctly identifying infections on histology is important so that graft and patient life can be prolonged.

Association Study of Pleural Mesothelioma and Oncogenic Simian Virus 40 in the Crocidolite-Contaminated Area of Dayao County, Yunnan Province, Southwest China.

Background: In Dayao County, Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, Southwest China, 5% of the surface is scattered with blue asbestos, which has a high incidence of pleural mesothelioma (PMe). Simian virus 40 (SV40) is a small circular double-stranded DNA polyomavirus that can cause malignant transformation of normal cells of various human and animal tissue types and promote tumor growth. In this study, we investigate whether oncogenic SV40 is associated with the occurrence of PMe in the crocidolite-contaminated area of Dayao County, Yunnan Province, Southwest China. Methods: Tumor tissues from 51 patients with PMe (40 of whom had a history of asbestos exposure) and pleural tissues from 12 non-PMe patients (including diseases such as pulmonary maculopathy and pulmonary tuberculosis) were collected. Three pairs of low-contamination risk primers (SVINT, SVfor2, and SVTA1) were used to detect the gene fragment of SV40 large T antigen (T-Ag) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The presence of SV40 T-Ag in PMe tumor tissues and PMe cell lines was detected by Western blotting and immunohistochemical staining with SV40-related antibodies (PAb 101 and PAb 416). Results: PCR, Western blotting, and immunohistochemical staining results showed that the Met5A cell line was positive for SV40 and contained the SV40 T-Ag gene and protein. In contrast, the various PMe cell lines NCI-H28, NCI-H2052, and NCI-H2452 were negative for SV40. PCR was negative for all three sets of low-contamination risk primers in 12 non-PMe tissues and 51 PMe tissues. SV40 T-Ag was not detected in 12 non-PMe tissues or 51 PMe tissues by immunohistochemical staining. Conclusion: Our data suggest that the occurrence of PMe in the crocidolite-contaminated area of Yunnan Province may not be related to SV40 infection and that crocidolite exposure may be the main cause of PMe. The Clinical Trial Registration number: 2020-YXLL20.

Avian Polyomavirus Among Psittacine Birds in Iran: Molecular Detection Rate and Associated Risk Factors.

Avian polyomavirus (APV) infection causes various health problems in psittacine species, including death. The present study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of APV among psittacine birds in Iran. We also aimed to evaluate the impact of age, sex, species, season, and origin of the birds on the prevalence of APV. This study investigated the presence of APV among 1050 individual birds from 7 psittacine species over a 1-year period in Iran, namely, green-cheeked parakeets (Pyrrhura molinae), rosy-faced lovebirds (Agapornis roseicollis), monk parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus), sun conures (Aratinga solstitialis), Senegal parrots (Poicephalus senegalus), cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus), and grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus). The overall prevalence of APV in all studied species was 25% (263/1050, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 22.5-27.8). Results of the study showed that age and the season of the year were 2 important determinant factors in the prevalence of APV in psittacine birds. Young psittacine birds <6 months old were 2.94 (95% CI: 1.19-7.27) times more likely to be infected with APV than birds >1 year old, and there was a significant interaction between season and species in the multivariate analysis. In the winter season, rosy-faced lovebirds and green-cheeked parakeets were 15.6 (95% CI: 4.20-57.95) and 4.76 (95% CI: 1.4-16.21) times more likely to be infected with APV than in other seasons, respectively. This is the first report on the detection rate of APV in psittacine birds in Iran.

Molecular monitoring of viral infections in immunocompromised patients in a large university hospital in Italy: reflections after thirteen years of real-life activity.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and viral reactivations of clinical interest in the immunocompromised patient with particular focus on hematologic and solid organ transplant recipients. METHODS: Molecular screening data of CMV, EBV, JCV and BKV from 2011 to 2023 were analyzed. This extensive time span allowed the access to more than 100,000 samples from over 20,000 patients treated at Policlinico Umberto I. It was possible to temporally investigate patient attendance patterns, average age distribution, seasonality of infections, and positivity rates of the analyzed viruses. RESULTS: Between 2019 and 2022 a significant reduction in organ transplants performed and in the positive molecular detection of EBV, JCV and BKV was observed. Additionally, there has been a noteworthy decrease in CMV reactivations, with a reduction of up to 50% starting in 2019. A remarkable reduction of 39% in the rate of CMV viral reactivation has been also achieved in SOT between 2016 and 2023. CONCLUSION: The years following 2019 were profoundly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic era. This period resulted in a substantial reduction in healthcare services and hospital visits. Furthermore, the introduction of the drug Letermovir in Italy in 2019 demonstrated remarkable efficacy, evidenced by a reduction in CMV reactivations. Additionally, the adoption of a novel clinical approach centered on personalized therapy facilitated improved management of immunocompromised patients.

Prevalence of BK and JC Polyomaviruses among Patients with Breast Cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Breast cancer, a pervasive invasive carcinoma among women globally, afflicts approximately 12% of women worldwide. Previous studies have indicated that certain viruses, including oncogenic viruses such as polyomaviruses BK and JC, may play a role in the development of breast cancer. In light of this, the present study endeavors to assess the incidence of BKV and JCV virus in breast cancer patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue samples were procured and subjected to deparaffinize by xylene, followed by DNA extraction through the phenol-chloroform methodology. Detection and genotyping of BKV and JCV were carried out utilizing specific primers via PCR analysis. RESULTS: Merely 2 out of 100 (2%) ductal carcinoma in situ with grade 2 specimens exhibited positivity for BK virus genotype IV, whereas JC virus DNA was not discerned across all the samples. DISCUSSION: The findings of the current investigation demonstrate that there was an absence of JC virus detection in the breast biopsy. Additionally, a small fraction of patients diagnosed with ductal carcinoma exhibited a low prevalence of genotype IV polyomavirus BK at a rate of 2%. However, in order to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the incidence of BKV and JCV in breast cancer, a substantial number of breast samples must undergo investigation.

The impact of social distancing measures on anti-JC virus serostatus changes before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in US patients with multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic offered an epidemiological opportunity to evaluate if isolation and masking affected John Cunningham (JC) virus transmission. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the proportion of natalizumab-treated patients who converted to a positive anti-JCV antibody serostatus before and during the pandemic. METHODS: Data from TYSABRI Outreach: Unified Commitment to Health (TOUCH) for 22,375 US patients treated with natalizumab with anti-JCV antibody records were assessed in epochs annually from 2017 to 2022. RESULTS: Pre-pandemic anti-JCV antibody serostatus change was observed for 7.4%-7.7%. During the first and second years of the pandemic, 7.3% and 7.2% of patients' serostatus changed, respectively. CONCLUSION: The proportion of patients with anti-JCV antibody serostatus change did not significantly differ during the first 2 years of the pandemic compared with prior years. In contrast to seasonal influenza, masking and social distancing had no discernable effect on JCV serostatus change.

Incidence of postoperative cytomegalovirus and BK-polyoma virus infections and graft loss in ABO-incompatible renal transplant recipients: a multicenter retrospective study.

OBJECTIVES: The current study aimed to examine the incidence of perioperative infections and graft viability in ABO-compatible and ABO-incompatible renal transplant recipients. METHODS: We included 643 living donor renal transplant recipients registered in the Michinoku Renal Transplant Network from 1998 to 2021. Patients were divided into the ABO-compatible and ABO-incompatible kidney transplantation groups. We compared the characteristics of the two groups and evaluated the incidence of postoperative viral infections (cytomegalovirus and BK virus), graft loss-free survival, and overall survival between the two groups. RESULTS: Of 643 patients, 485 (75%) and 158 (25%) were ABO-compatible and ABO-incompatible renal transplant recipients, respectively. Postoperative viral infections, rituximab use, and plasma exchange were significantly more common in ABO-incompatible than in ABO-compatible transplant recipients. However, there were no significant differences in terms of other background characteristics. The ABO-incompatible group was more likely to develop viral infections than the ABO-compatible group. Graft loss-free survival and overall survival did not significantly differ between the two groups. According to the multivariate Cox regression analysis, ABO compatibility was not significantly associated with graft loss-free survival and overall survival. CONCLUSION: Although the incidence of postoperative viral infections in ABO-incompatible renal transplant recipients increased, there was no significant difference in terms of rejection events, graft loss-free survival, and overall survival.