Relationships between acute rejection，hemoglobin levels and BK virus infection among renal transplant recipients in China

This study aimed to explore the risk factors for BK virus （BKV） infection in renal transplant recipients（RTR） routinely treated with tacrolimus. Among the 93 RTRs enrolled in the study, 42 cases had BKV infections and 51 patients did not have BKV infections. A positive BKV result was detected by polymerase chain reaction （PCR） for the first time after renal transplantation. Eighty-seven healthy individuals and 77 patients undergoing dialysis were randomly included as controls during the study period. A logistic regression model was used to analyse potential variables in order to evaluate factors related to BKV infection in the RTRs. The results of a multivariate regression analysis indicated that a history of acute rejection (OR = 4.157; p = 0.031) and low hemoglobin were risk factors for BKV infection. Compared with the BKV-negative RTRs, the hemoglobin levels in the BKV-positive RTRs were significantly lower. Thus, the results of our study suggest that a history of acute rejection and low hemoglobin are risk factors for BKV infection after renal transplantation.