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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Indian J Radiol Imaging
DOI: 10.1055/s-0045-1802329
Case Report

Is Cauda Equina Involvement Related to BK Virus in Patients with Combined Immunodeficiency?

Gamze Sonmez 
1   Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
,
Fatma Naz Cemre Kalaycı
1   Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
,
Rahsan Gocmen
2   Department of Radiology, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
,
Yasemin Ozsurekcı
3   Department of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
,
Deniz Cagdas 
4   Division of Pediatric Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
5   Department of Pediatrics, Hacettepe University Hospitals, Ihsan Doğramacı Children's Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
6   Division of Immunology, Department of Pediatrics Basic Sciences, Hacettepe University, Institute of Child Health, Ankara, Turkey
› Author Affiliations Funding None.
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Abstract

The BK virus, an unenveloped double-stranded DNA virus, infects up to 90% of the population, The virus often remains dormant but can reactivate and cause illness under conditions of impaired cellular immunity. It can cause progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy and has been implicated in a variety of conditions, including encephalitis, nephritis, cystitis, and retinitis. This report explores neurological symptoms linked to the BK virus, focusing on its potential role in spinal cord pathology in patients with combined immunodeficiency by presenting and analyzing two distinct case studies. Although not commonly associated with neurological disorders, there are rarely reports of BK virus involvement in central nervous system diseases.

Keywords

BK virus - combined immunodeficiency - spinal cord

Patient Consent

Informed consent was obtained from the families for publication of this report.




Publication History

Article published online:
13 February 2025

© 2025. Indian Radiological Association. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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