21. January 2009 22:54
A new and simple urine test can detect polyomavirus nephropathy, a relatively new and serious complication that affects up to 9% of kidney transplant recipients, according to a study appearing in the February 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Society Nephrology (JASN).
The advance could lead to better diagnosis and treatment of patients with this condition.
While polyomaviruses are normally occurring viruses that harmlessly infect many adults, they can pose serious health problems for individuals who become immunocompromised. Such is the case for many kidney transplant recipients who must take immunosuppressive medications to safeguard against organ rejection. Some of these patients develop a damaging condition called polyomavirus nephropathy that can lead to chronic kidney failure and the need to re-initiate dialysis or undergo another transplant.
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