Emphysematous pyelonephritis in a diabetic patient on maintenance hemodialysis: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Emphysematous pyelonephritis (EP) is an uncommon acute infection characterized by the presence of gas in the renal parenchyma. It is extremely rare in hemodialysis (HD) patients and diabetics account for most cases. It is a rapidly progressive and life threatening infection with a high mortality rate. We report a case of emphysematous pyelonephritis in a HD patient who was treated successfully with radical nephrectomy and antibiotic therapy. CASE REPORT: A 46-year-old diabetic male with end stage renal disease (ESRD) secondary to diabetic nephropathy and on maintenance HD for the last five years presented with a two weeks history of fever and loin pain. He was treated with oral ciprofloxacin for one week with no improvement. His blood culture isolated Escherichia coli. Computed tomography scan of the abdominal disclosed an enlarged left kidney with massive gaseous collections. Accordingly, the diagnosis of emphysematous pyelonephritis was put forward, the patient underwent left nephrectomy together with intravenous imipenum and amikacin with good clinical response. The removed kidney showed features of acute pyelonephritis with micro-abscesses on histopathology. . CONCLUSION: Emphysematous pyelonephritis should always be considered in diabetics presenting with fever, loin pain, and features of sepsis not responding to antibiotic therapy; even though being on dialysis. Computed tomography scan of the abdomen remains an early diagnostic tool. Early treatment with potent antibiotics with or without surgical intervention can save patients' life.

Acute post-infectious glomerulonephritis in adults: a single center report.

Acute post-infectious glomerulonephritis (APIGN) is uncommonly seen in adults; its incidence is progressively declining, particularly in developed countries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the epidemiological, clinical and biologic features of APIGN in a Tunisian center. A retrospective descriptive analytic study was carried out on 50 patients aged more than 15 years who were admitted to the Monastir Hospital between 1991 and 2007, with a diagnosis of APIGN. There were more males than females (66% vs. 34%), and the mean age of the patients was 36.8 ± 10 years. Only 10% had an immunocompromised background, including diabetes. The most common site of infection was upper respiratory tract, followed by skin and pneumonia. The most common causative agent was Streptococcus (66%), followed by Staphylococcus (12%). 73.8% of the patients had low C3 complement levels. The mean peak serum creatinine was 190 µmol, and 4% of patients required acute dialysis. The patients were followed-up for a mean period of 18 months (range, 0.16-97 months). During follow-up, of the 46 patients reviewed in the consultation, the majority showed complete remission, 12 patients had persisting abnormalities such as hypertension in 17%, chronic renal failure in 8% and proteinuria in 6.5%, and one patient had concomitant hypertension and chronic renal failure. Our study suggests that APIGN is still endemic in some parts of the world such as Tunisia, and our data showed a favorable prognosis in adults.

[AIDS and tuberculosis in central Tunisia]. / SIDA et tuberculose en Tunisie centrale.

PIP: 7 men and 2 women seropositive for HIV were carefully screened for tuberculosis in the internal medicine service of a hospital in Sousse, central Tunisia, and all tuberculosis patients aged 20-50 years registered at the tuberculosis treatment center in Sousse between May 1987-December 1988 were screened for HIV infections using the ELISA test. The HIV seropositive patients ranged in age from 21-42 years and averaged 28 at the time of diagnosis. Marriage to an HIV-positive man was the only risk factor for the 2 seropositive women. 1 of the men had hemophilia and the rest had travelled abroad and used drugs or had homosexual or heterosexual relations while outside Tunisia. 4 of the 9 HIV positive patients were diagnoses with tuberculosis, 2 with isolated pulmonary tuberculosis, 1 with pulmonary and hepatoslenic tuberculosis, and 1 with a cervical ganglionary tuberculosis. 3 of the 4 with tuberculosis had apparently normal thoracic X-rays. The 4 were treated with the normal course of antitubercular drugs for a year or more. Screening for HIV in the 104 tuberculosis patients aged 20-50 years revealed no cases of HIV infection. Tuberculosis appears to be 1 of the most frequent opportunistic infections among patients seropositive for HIV, but it is not an indicator or predictor of HIV infection in central Tunisia as it reportedly is in some African countries.^ieng