Treatment Guideline for Post-kidney Transplant Patients with BK Viral Infection
Keywords:
BK virus, kidney transplant recipients, opportunistic infection, immunosuppressive agentsAbstract
Kidney transplantation is currently the most effective renal replacement therapy for end-stage kidney disease when compared to dialysis. Kidney transplant recipients require lifelong immunosuppressive therapy to prevent graft rejection. The current standard immunosuppressive regimen consists of tacrolimus plus mycophenolic acid along with prednisolone, which has proven to be highly effective in reducing graft rejection and improving one-year graft and patient survival rates to over 95 percent with an excellent outcome. However, potent immunosuppressive agents can increase the risk of opportunistic infections such as Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia, herpes virus, cytomegalovirus, and BK virus. The BK virus is an opportunistic infection that can be found in up to 30 percent of kidney transplant recipients. The BK virus is one of the causes that deteriorate kidney grafts and may lead to further complications. Persistent BK virus infection can ultimately result in graft loss. Early detection of BK virus infection is essential and requires timely adjustment of immunosuppressive therapy, which can improve graft survival and long-term outcomes. However, there is no medication specifically designed to treat BK virus infections directly, and management strategies may vary between guidelines.
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