Apple
Maps
Google
Maps
OSM
www.ukhd.de
www.pflege-ukhd.de
Immunosuppression and risk of BK nephropathy
Polyomaviruses
Humans are the natural host for two polyomaviruses, BK virus and JC virus. Around 80% of the adult population have been infected with polyomaviruses, usually in childhood, without any noticeable symptoms.
Polymomaviruses remain in the body for life. The main sites of latent infection are the kidneys and urinary tract. Virus replication can flare up again under immunosuppressive therapy.
Infections with the BK virus cause increasing dysfunction of the transplanted kidneys. In at least 75% of affected patients, transplant loss occurs as a result.
Almost all patients receive immunosuppressive combination therapy with tacrolimus and/or mycophenolic acid. One treatment option is to reduce the immunosuppressive therapy in order to achieve improved immunological control of the polyomavirus infection.
However, this increases the risk of transplant rejection.
Links between immunosuppressive therapy and the risk of BK nephropathy are being investigated in a current research project.
Projekt-Leitung
Prof. Dr. med. Claudia Sommerer, MSc
claudia.sommerer@med.uni-heidelberg.de
+49 6221 9112 0
Persons involved
Cand. med. Theresa Klein
Dr. med. J. Beimler
Dr. rer. nat. Ellen Krautkrämer