BK Virus

In 1970, a new papovavirus was isolated from both urine and the ureteral epithelium of a renal allograft recipient with ureteral obstruction. The virus was found to be a member of the polyoma subgroup of the Papovaviridae that was unlike any previously described. The new isolate was given the name BK virus after the initials of the renal transplant patient from whom it was cultured.