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Transplantation

Immunosuppression and risk of polyomavirus BK replication

According to new data from Hirsch et al., the risk of polyomavirus BK (BKV) viraemia in kidney transplant recipients is increased by high steroid exposure early after transplantation, treatment with tacrolimus rather than ciclosporin A, older donor age and male gender. However, confounding of results due to variations in immunosuppressive drug exposure cannot be excluded.

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Correspondence to Phuong-Thu T. Pham.

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Pham, PT., Reddy, U. Immunosuppression and risk of polyomavirus BK replication. Nat Rev Nephrol 9, 135–136 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneph.2013.17

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