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Updated: May 13, 2026

Measurement of BK-polyomavirus Non-Coding Control Region Driven Transcriptional Activity Via Flow Cytometry
Published on: July 13, 2019
Native kidney BK virus nephropathy associated with acute lymphocytic leukemia
Guido Filler1, Christoph Licht, Aaron Haig
1Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, London Health Science Centre-University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada. guido.filler@lhsc.on.ca
Background:
Polyoma BK virus nephropathy is a common complication after renal transplantation and is rarely seen in non-renal transplant recipients. There are only a couple of case reports of BK virus nephropathy in native kidneys in non-transplant patients, including a recent report of a 73-year-old patient with chronic lymphatic leukemia. A variety of treatment options, including leflunomide and cidofovir, were reported in these patients.
Case Diagnosis/Treatment:
Here we report the case of a 10-year-old boy with acute lymphatic leukemia who presented with non-oliguric hypertensive acute kidney injury at the 12th maintenance cycle of his chemotherapy. The workup supported the clear diagnosis of BK virus nephropathy with tubulointerstitial changes, and the patient responded favorably to intravenous immunoglobulin therapy.
Conclusions:
Pediatric nephrologists need to consider BK virus nephropathy as a differential diagnosis of acute kidney injury in immunocompromised non-transplant patients.
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