Open AccessReno-invasive fungal infection presenting as acute renal failure: Importance of renal biopsy for early diagnosis
Author(s) -
Priyadarshi Ranjan,
Saurabh Sudhir Chipde,
Saurabh Vashistha,
Neeraj Kumari,
Rakesh Kapoor
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
saudi journal of kidney diseases and transplantation/našrat amraḍ wa zira'aẗ al-kulaẗ
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.268
H-Index - 30
eISSN - 2320-3838
pISSN - 1319-2442
DOI - 10.4103/1319-2442.144268
Subject(s) - medicine , renal biopsy , biopsy , acute kidney injury , kidney , pathology , creatinine , emergency department , pyuria , radiology , urine , psychiatry
Renal zygomycosis, caused by invasive fungi, is a rare and potentially fatal infection. The patient usually presents with non-specific symptoms and renal failure. A 34-year-old male non-diabetic and without any predisposing factors for systemic fungal infection presented to the emergency department with diffuse abdominal pain, high-grade fever and acute renal failure with a serum creatinine of 6.5. A computed tomography showed bilateral diffuse globular nephromegaly. A urine smear for fungal examination showed right angle branching hyphae and kidney biopsy showed fungal hyphae within the glomeruli, tubules and interstitium. Although radiological investigations can give us a clue, the definitive diagnosis can only be made by kidney biopsy. A high index of suspicion and timely diagnosis is important for a proper management.