[Morphological diagnosis of viral damage to a kidney transplant]

[Concurrence of acute graft rejection and polyomavirus nephropathy: A clinical case]

The paper describes a case of diagnosing acute renal graft rejection concurrent with polyomavirus nephropathy. Histochemical and electron microscopic methods were used to examine biopsy specimens, which showed morphological changes occurring in the allograft, the ultrastructural characteristics of polyomavirus and the features of its spread in kidney tissue structures.

[Clinical and morphological signs of viral damage to a kidney transplant]

AIM

Тo compare morphological changes and results of immunohistochemical (IHC) identification of viruses (polyomaviruses, adenoviruses, and herpesviruses) in the biopsy specimens with their clinical manifestations in recipients of renal transplants.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Morphological and IHC studies were conducted using 71 needle renal transplant biopsy specimens from patients in the study group and 10 renal biopsy specimens from those in the control group. A number of clinical indicators were estimated.

RESULTS

IHC examination revealed the expression of adenoviral antigens more commonly in patients with posttransplant nephritis than in recipients without nephritis or in control individuals (p<0.05). The association of patient age and time after kidney transplantation with the severity of viral damage was confirmed: graft loss in children occurred within the first months of surgery (p<0.05). Polyomavirus was detected by PCR in patients with the morphological patterns of polyomavirus nephropathy. Determination of HSV-1 and HSV-2 in the biopsy specimens showed no significant associations with morphological changes.

CONCLUSION

By taking into account a variety of factors that influence the development of viral nephritis, morphological and IHC examinations should be combined with evaluation of clinical findings.