A case of shunt nephritis

ABSTRACT

Nephritis associated with a chronically infected ventriculoatrial shunt is known as shunt nephritis. A 6-year-old girl with prior history of a ventriculoatrial shunt presented complaining of fever and gross hematuria. Serum complement levels were decreased and a coagulase-negative S. epidermidis was cultured from her blood. The renal biopsy specimen showed features of membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis type I. Hydrocephalus was so severe that shunt removal was impossible. With antibiotic therapy, clinical symptoms and laboratory findings include complement levels were normalized although microscopic hematuria persisted. To our knowledge, this is the first case of shunt nephritis in Korea. In addition to the case report, a brief review of shunt nephritis has been added.