A novel human polyomavirus closely related to the African green monkey-derived lymphotropic polyomavirus (LPV)

Abstract

A novel human polyomavirus was identified with generic PCR in a kidney transplant patient under immunosuppressive treatment. Its genome was completely amplified and sequenced. In phylogenetic analyses it appeared as the closest relative to the African green monkey-derived lymphotropic polyomavirus (LPV). Further investigation of clinical samples from immunocompromised patients with specific nested PCR revealed additional positive samples indicating that the virus naturally infects humans. The virus was tentatively named Human Polyomavirus 9 (HPyV9). The previously observed seroreactivity to LPV in human populations might find a partial explanation in the circulation of HPyV9.