Grant: Operating Grant

Patients with end-stage kidney disease can be treated with long-term dialysis or receive a kidney transplant. Research has shown that patients who receive a kidney transplant have an improvement in survival and quality of life. BK virus infection has emerged as a major problem in kidney transplantation. This virus can damage the transplant and lead to premature transplant failure. In this controlled trial, we will determine if quinolone antibiotics can reduce the occurrence of BK virus infection. If the quinolones are found to be effective, their use will decrease the number of kidney transplant patients who get BK virus infection and thereby decrease the number of kidney transplants that will fail due to this infection and need to return to dialysis. Such improvements for the growing number of patients with end-stage kidney disease would represent an important advance in the management of this very disabling and lethal long-term condition