PERSISTENT INFECTION WITH HUMAN POLYOMAVIRUS REVEALED BY URINARY CYTOLOGY IN A PATIENT WITH HEART-TRANSPLANTATION - A CASE-REPORT

BACKGROUND: Management after heart transplantation must deal with the twin risks of rejection and infection. Early infection with viral infe ction, particularly cytomegalovirus (CMV), is becoming more prevalent two to three months after transplantation. To our knowledge, there has been no previous report of human polyomavirus (HPOV) infection after heart transplantation. CASE: A 20-year-old male with a history of Kawa saki disease and who had suffered from severe congestive heart failure after a coronary artery bypass graft, underwent heart transplantation . Urinary cytology demonstrated HPOV infection, the diagnosis of which teas established by the immunoperoxidase technique, in situ hybridiza tion and electron microscopy. CONCLUSION: The definitive diagnosis of HPOV infection after a heart transplant can be made on urinary cytolog y.