tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Microorganisms
. 2021 Jun 9;9(6):1259.
doi: 10.3390/microorganisms9061259.
KI and WU Polyomavirus in Respiratory Samples of SARS-CoV-2 Infected Patients
Carla Prezioso[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Ugo Moens[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Giuseppe Oliveto[SUP] 4 5 6 [/SUP], Gabriele Brazzini[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Francesca Piacentini[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Federica Frasca[SUP] 4 6 [/SUP], Agnese Viscido[SUP] 4 5 [/SUP], Mirko Scordio[SUP] 4 6 [/SUP], Giuliana Guerrizio[SUP] 4 5 [/SUP], Donatella Maria Rodio[SUP] 4 5 [/SUP], Alessandra Pierangeli[SUP] 4 6 [/SUP], Gabriella d'Ettorre[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ombretta Turriziani[SUP] 4 5 [/SUP], Guido Antonelli[SUP] 4 5 6 [/SUP], Carolina Scagnolari[SUP] 4 6 [/SUP], Valeria Pietropaolo[SUP] 1 5 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been declared a global pandemic. Our goal was to determine whether co-infections with respiratory polyomaviruses, such as Karolinska Institutet polyomavirus (KIPyV) and Washington University polyomavirus (WUPyV) occur in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients. Oropharyngeal swabs from 150 individuals, 112 symptomatic COVID-19 patients and 38 healthcare workers not infected by SARS-CoV-2, were collected from March 2020 through May 2020 and tested for KIPyV and WUPyV DNA presence. Of the 112 SARS-CoV-2 positive patients, 27 (24.1%) were co-infected with KIPyV, 5 (4.5%) were positive for WUPyV, and 3 (2.7%) were infected simultaneously by KIPyV and WUPyV. Neither KIPyV nor WUPyV DNA was detected in samples of healthcare workers. Significant correlations were found in patients co-infected with SARS-CoV-2 and KIPyV (p < 0.05) and between SARS-CoV-2 cycle threshold values and KIPyV, WUPyV and KIPyV and WUPyV concurrently detected (p < 0.05). These results suggest that KIPyV and WUPyV may behave as opportunistic respiratory pathogens. Additional investigations are needed to understand the epidemiology and the prevalence of respiratory polyomavirus in COVID-19 patients and whether KIPyV and WUPyV could potentially drive viral interference or influence disease outcomes by upregulating SARS-CoV-2 replicative potential.
Keywords: Karolinska Institutet polyomavirus; NCCR sequencing; SARS-CoV-2; Washington University polyomavirus; co-infection; oropharyngeal swab.
. 2021 Jun 9;9(6):1259.
doi: 10.3390/microorganisms9061259.
KI and WU Polyomavirus in Respiratory Samples of SARS-CoV-2 Infected Patients
Carla Prezioso[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Ugo Moens[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Giuseppe Oliveto[SUP] 4 5 6 [/SUP], Gabriele Brazzini[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Francesca Piacentini[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Federica Frasca[SUP] 4 6 [/SUP], Agnese Viscido[SUP] 4 5 [/SUP], Mirko Scordio[SUP] 4 6 [/SUP], Giuliana Guerrizio[SUP] 4 5 [/SUP], Donatella Maria Rodio[SUP] 4 5 [/SUP], Alessandra Pierangeli[SUP] 4 6 [/SUP], Gabriella d'Ettorre[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ombretta Turriziani[SUP] 4 5 [/SUP], Guido Antonelli[SUP] 4 5 6 [/SUP], Carolina Scagnolari[SUP] 4 6 [/SUP], Valeria Pietropaolo[SUP] 1 5 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 34207902
- DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9061259
Abstract
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been declared a global pandemic. Our goal was to determine whether co-infections with respiratory polyomaviruses, such as Karolinska Institutet polyomavirus (KIPyV) and Washington University polyomavirus (WUPyV) occur in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients. Oropharyngeal swabs from 150 individuals, 112 symptomatic COVID-19 patients and 38 healthcare workers not infected by SARS-CoV-2, were collected from March 2020 through May 2020 and tested for KIPyV and WUPyV DNA presence. Of the 112 SARS-CoV-2 positive patients, 27 (24.1%) were co-infected with KIPyV, 5 (4.5%) were positive for WUPyV, and 3 (2.7%) were infected simultaneously by KIPyV and WUPyV. Neither KIPyV nor WUPyV DNA was detected in samples of healthcare workers. Significant correlations were found in patients co-infected with SARS-CoV-2 and KIPyV (p < 0.05) and between SARS-CoV-2 cycle threshold values and KIPyV, WUPyV and KIPyV and WUPyV concurrently detected (p < 0.05). These results suggest that KIPyV and WUPyV may behave as opportunistic respiratory pathogens. Additional investigations are needed to understand the epidemiology and the prevalence of respiratory polyomavirus in COVID-19 patients and whether KIPyV and WUPyV could potentially drive viral interference or influence disease outcomes by upregulating SARS-CoV-2 replicative potential.
Keywords: Karolinska Institutet polyomavirus; NCCR sequencing; SARS-CoV-2; Washington University polyomavirus; co-infection; oropharyngeal swab.