Human polyomaviruses were not detected in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with neurological complications after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Abstract

Background: Neurological complications after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) are associated with increased mortality. Reactivation of JC virus, a well-known human polyomavirus (HPyV), can be associated with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy after HSCT. Aim: To investigate whether reactivation of the newly discovered HPyVs KIPyV, WUPyV, Merkel cell polyomavirus, HPyV6, HPyV7, trichodysplasia spinulosa polyomavirus, HPyV9 or HPyV10 (MWPyV) is associated with neurological complications after HSCT. Materials & methods: Cerebrospinal fluid from 32 HSCT patients with neurological symptoms was analyzed for the presence of the above HPyVs, including BK virus and JC virus, as well as the primate polyomaviruses lymphotropic polyomavirus and simian virus 40. Results & conclusion: No HPyV DNA was detected or associated with the neurological symptoms the patients showed post-HSCT.