Polyomavirus in immunocompromised patients: The South America’s situation Polyomavirus en hospederos inmunocomprometidos: Situación en sudamérica

Abstract

© 2018, Sociedad Chilena de Infectologia. All rights reserved. Forty-six years after the identification of the first polyomaviruses in humans (PyV) still there are strong concerns to find new types related to pathologies of different organs in immunocompromised patients. At the time of this review, 15 PyV have been described, many of them without being clearly associated with diseases. In our country, as in much of South America, the knowledge and research of these infectious agents are insufficient, so we systematized what is known about these viruses and their relationship with different human systems with emphasis on immunocompromised and we pointed out data published in our continent. Thus, we hope to encourage the study of these infections.