Isolated renal mucormycosis masquerading as emphysematous pyelonephritis.

Mucormycosis is an acute, life-threatening infection and isolated renal involvement is rare. Due to the angioinvasive nature of the disease, it is rapidly progressive and can be lethal if not managed expeditiously. In patients with underlying conditions of immunosuppression, diabetes mellitus, transplantation, COVID-19, intravenous drug and substance use and pyelonephritis, which is unable to be controlled via regular antibiotics, mucormycosis must be considered on the differential and antifungals must be empirically started. Most cases are often diagnosed on histopathology, which causes delayed treatment and resolution. We present a case of emphysematous pyelonephritis diagnosed on imaging and was later found to have mucormycosis on histopathological examination.

Bilateral Emphysematous Pyelonephritis Associated with COVID Pneumonia: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND 0ptviral pneumonia and bilateral emphysematous pyelonephritis create a rapid acute respiratory distress syndrome. CASE REPORT A 59-year-old diabetic man with altered awareness was admitted as an emergency due to fever, shivering, and pain in the lap. Based on the accurate diagnosis, we concluded that the patient had bilateral emphysematous pyelonephritis, as well as inflammatory changes in the lung parenchyma caused by coronavirus infection (SARS-CoV-2). Active therapy - nephrectomy - was ruled out due to the late detection of the gas collection in the kidneys, as well as the general condition caused by respiratory symptoms. With symptomatic, supportive, and antimicrobial therapy, such as percutaneous renal drainage, renal abnormalities improved. Unfortunately, the virus-induced parenchymal inflammation progressed and proved fatal. The inflammatory process in the urothelial cell is most likely where the linkage and potentiation of COVID-19 infection and emphysematous pyelonephritis begins. Local inflammation that obstructs the movement of the generated gas is one of the hypothesized processes of emphysematous pyelonephritis. The renal and urothelial tubular cells contain the angiotensin-converting enzyme II (ACE2) receptor, which is used by the SARS-CoV-2 virus to enter human cells and may be a risk factor for simultaneous and direct viral injury to urinary tract cells. Sepsis was most likely caused by viral pneumonia, based on the resolution of changes in the kidneys. CONCLUSIONS The combination of EPN and COVID-19 is difficult to treat. Despite multidisciplinary treatment, it has been linked to a worse prognosis and fatal outcome.