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. 2019 Dec;59(12):3689-3697.
doi: 10.1111/trf.15557. Epub 2019 Oct 21.

Prevalence of DNA of fourteen human polyomaviruses determined in blood donors

Sergio Kamminga  1   2 , Els van der Meijden  2 , Caroline de Brouwer  2 , Mariet Feltkamp  2 , Hans Zaaijer  1
Affiliations

Prevalence of DNA of fourteen human polyomaviruses determined in blood donors

Sergio Kamminga et al. Transfusion. 2019 Dec.

Abstract

Background: Human polyomaviruses (HPyVs), like herpesviruses, cause persistent infection in a large part of the population. In immunocompromised and elderly patients, PyVs cause severe diseases such as nephropathy (BK polyomavirus [BKPyV]), progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (JC polyomavirus [JCPyV]), and skin cancer (Merkel cell polyomavirus [MCPyV]). Like cytomegalovirus, donor-derived PyV can cause disease in kidney transplant recipients. Possibly blood components transmit PyVs as well. To study this possibility, as a first step we determined the presence of PyV DNA in Dutch blood donations.

Study design and methods: Blood donor serum samples (n = 1016) were analyzed for the presence of DNA of 14 HPyVs using HPyV species-specific quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedures. PCR-positive samples were subjected to confirmation by sequencing. Individual PCR findings were compared with the previously reported PyV serostatus.

Results: MC polyomavirus DNA was detected in 39 donors (3.8%), JCPyV and TS polyomavirus (TSPyV) DNA in five donors (both 0.5%), and HPyV9 DNA in four donors (0.4%). BKPyV, WU polyomavirus (WUPyV), HPyV6, MW polyomavirus (MWPyV), and LI polyomavirus (LIPyV) DNA was detected in one or two donors. Amplicon sequencing confirmed the expected product for BKPyV, JCPyV, WUPyV, MCPyV, HPyV6, TSPyV, MWPyV, HPyV9, and LIPyV. For JCPyV a significant association was observed between detection of viral DNA and the level of specific IgG antibodies.

Conclusion: In 5.4% of Dutch blood donors PyV DNA was detected, including DNA from pathogenic PyVs such as JCPyV. As a next step, the infectivity of PyV in donor blood and transmission via blood components to immunocompromised recipients should be investigated.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have disclosed no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow chart for study population. Numbers in parentheses indicate serum samples that were successfully isolated, PCR amplified, and assessed with the immunoassay. Boxes on the right side of the figure state reasons for exclusion of samples.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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