Identification of a novel polyomavirus in a pancreatic transplant recipient with retinal blindness and vasculitic myopathy

J Infect Dis. 2014 Nov 15;210(10):1595-9. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiu250. Epub 2014 May 1.

Abstract

Background: A 33 year-old pancreatic transplant recipient developed weakness, retinal blindness, and necrotic plaques on her face, scalp, and hands.

Methods: A muscle biopsy was analyzed by light and electron microscopy and high-throughput nucleic acid sequencing.

Results: The biopsy revealed microthrombosis and viral particles in swollen endothelial cell nuclei. High-throughput sequencing of nucleic acid revealed a novel polyomavirus. In situ hybridization confirmed the presence of the polyomavirus in endothelial cells at sites of myositis and cutaneous necrosis.

Conclusions: New Jersey polyomavirus (NJPyV-2013) is a novel polyomavirus that may have tropism for vascular endothelial cells.

Keywords: immunosuppression; myositis; polyomavirus; transplantation; vasculitis; virus discovery.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Biopsy
  • Blindness / etiology*
  • DNA, Viral / chemistry
  • DNA, Viral / genetics
  • Endothelial Cells / virology
  • Female
  • High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing
  • Humans
  • In Situ Hybridization
  • Microscopy
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Muscles / pathology
  • Muscular Diseases / virology*
  • Polyomavirus Infections / virology*
  • Retinitis / complications
  • Retinitis / virology*
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Transplant Recipients*
  • Vasculitis / virology*

Substances

  • DNA, Viral

Associated data

  • GENBANK/KF954417