What is Decoy cells?

Decoy cells are virally infected epithelial cells that can be found in the urine. Decoy cells owe their name to their strong resemblance to cancer cells, and may as such confuse the diagnosis of either viral infection or urothelial malignancy.

What does BK virus stand for?

Background. BK virus (BKV) belongs to the human Polyomaviridae, initially isolated from urine sample of a 29-year-old male patient with renal blockage and failure at 1971. BK virus is an abbreviation of the name of the first patient whom the virus was isolated from.

How do you treat BK virus?

Treatment

1. The goal in treating BKV infection is to eliminate the virus while preserving renal function and preventing acute or chronic rejection.
2. Discontinuation of a single immunosuppression agent, antimetabolite (MMF or azathioprine), upon recognition of viremia has been used successfully to clear viremia (49).

Which of the following disease is characterized with decoy cells?

Reactivation of polyomavirus infection with shedding of infected urothelial cells (decoy cells) is estimated to occur in 10% to 60% of renal transplant recipients, but clinically significant disease occurs in less than 5%.

Is BK virus transmissible?

The BK virus may be spread if you have contact with infected blood or body fluids, such as saliva. It can spread from one person to another during an organ transplant or from a mother to her baby during delivery.

What is BK virus PCR?

BK Virus DNA, Quantitative, Real-Time PCR, Plasma – This test is used to determine the presence of BK Virus DNA in patient’s specimens. Detection of the virus in these specimens may be indicative of an active infection, as PCR detects the presence of the virus, and not the host’s reaction to the virus.

What is BK in blood?

A BK virus (BKV) infection is a common viral infection that usually does not cause problems. The BK virus may be spread if you have contact with infected blood or body fluids, such as saliva. It can spread from one person to another during an organ transplant or from a mother to her baby during delivery.

Is BK virus common in kidney transplant patients?

BK virus (BKV) is a common opportunistic pathogen in kidney transplant recipients and one of the most challenging causes of allograft dysfunction and loss.

What causes polyomavirus?

The human polyomaviruses BKV and JCV are known to cause, respectively, hemorrhagic cystitis in recipients of bone marrow transplantation and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in immunocompromised patients, for example, by HIV infection.

What is polyomavirus effect?

Clinical manifestations of polyomavirus occur only with immunosuppression, such as after bone marrow transplantation, and can include cystitis and hematuria. Urine cytology can detect polyomavirus, and the cytopathic effect may persist for several months after cessation of symptoms.

Who is the BK virus named after?

BK virus (BKV) is a common opportunistic pathogen in kidney transplant recipients and one of the most challenging causes of allograft dysfunction and loss. This virus was named after a Sudanese kidney transplant recipient with ureteric stenosis who was the first patient to have BKV isolated from the urine.

What is BKV DNA?

BK virus (BKV) is a circular, double-stranded DNA virus with an approx. 5 kilobase-size genome in the polyomavirus family, of which 13 members of the family are known, including the JC virus (JCV) and SV40. BKV shares about 75% of its DNA sequence with JCV.