Author(s)

Vaneza Tique¹, Samia Barrera¹, Salim Mattar^1,2*, Jorge Miranda¹, Francisco Camargo³

¹University of Cordoba, Instituto de Investigaciones Biologicas del Tropico, Córdoba, Colombia.
²Clinica Salud Social, Sincelejo, Sucre.
³Clinica Zayma, Intensive Care Unit, Monteria, Cordoba.

Objective: The objective is to establish the presence of JC and/or BK polyomavirus in HIV patients with symptoms of encephalitis and/or meningitis. Methodology: From September 2009 to December 2011, a prospective study was conducted. 34 HIV patients with symptoms consistent with encephalitis and/or meningitis were included. The work was conducted in 3 hospitals in the city of Monteria. Viral DNA extraction was performed on samples of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) using a commercial kit (Quiagen, USA). The detection of BKV and JCV was performed by multiplex real-time PCR (LightMix?, Roche Diagnostics, Germany) with primers specific for the short t antigen gene fragment, labeled probes and one internal control. Results: In 9 (26%) of 34 patients included in the study, JCV virus was detected; only 1 (3%) patient had coinfection with JCV/BKV. The mortality rate was 3%. The cytochemical examination of CSF in positive patients presented average values: 40.7 mg/dL glucose, 171.66 mg/dL protein, 19.8 mm³ leukocytes, and 109.8 mm³ erythrocytes. Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that JCV and BKV have a significant occurrence in HIV patients with CSF infections in Monteria.

Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy, Meningitis, Encephalopathy, AIDS

Tique, V. , Barrera, S. , Mattar, S. , Miranda, J. and Camargo, F. (2015) First Detection of Human Polyomaviruses in HIV Patients with Suspected Neurological Disease in Montería, Colombia. Modern Research in Inflammation, 4, 25-31. doi: 10.4236/mri.2015.43003.