GENOTYPES OF HUMAN POLYOMAVIRUSES IN URINE SAMPLES OF PREGNANT-WOMEN IN TAIWAN

The viral DNA of human polyomaviruses JC virus (JCV) and BK virus (BKV ) was detected by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in urine samples from 31 pregnant women in Taiwan. A pair of appropriate primers ampli fied both JCV and BKV DNA of the regulatory region simultaneously in P CR. An oligonucleotide probe homologous to both JCV and BKV regulatory region was used subsequently to detect the viral DNA by Southern blot ting after PCR amplification. Approximately 36% of the examined urine samples were human polyomavirus positive. The genotypes of JCV and BKV were determined by DNA sequencing of their regulatory regions. Beside s CY archetype, a new strain (Taiwan-l) of JCV with a pentanucleotide (GGGAA) deletion and a new strain (Taichung-1) of BKV with two nucleot ide alterations within the regulatory region were found in the urine s amples. Eight of the examined samples were JCV infected, one was BKV i nfected, and two were JCV and BKV mix-infected. The JCV positive indiv iduals were infected by CY archetype and Taiwan-1 strain equally. Howe ver, Taichung-1 strain was the only BKV strain found in the BKV positi ve individuals. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.