Uropatía incrustante por Corynebacterium urealiticum: comentarios a partir de tres casos clínicos / Fouling uropathy by Corynebacterium urealyticum: Comments from three clinical cases

La uropatía incrustante es una enfermedad infecciosa del tracto urinario causada por la bacteria urealítica Corynebacterium urealyticum (CU). En nuestra serie (datos no publicados) sólo el 15% de las infecciones por CU produce uropatía incrustante. La formación de incrustaciones de estruvita y apatita en la pared del urotelio puede afectar a pelvis renal (pielitis), uréter, vejiga (cistopatía) y próstata, incluyendo la celda prostática después de resección ("celdopatía"). La pielitis es la más frecuente. La clínica corresponde a la triada orina alcalina, piuria y cristaluria de estruvita. Los pacientes suelen ser inmunodeprimidos o multioperados. El cultivo de orina debe estar dirigido al diagnóstico de CU. La TC es la prueba de imagen de elección. Muestra típicas imágenes de calcificación laminar. El tratamiento de la uropatía incrustante es multimodal. Incluye antibioterapia, acidificación de la orina y cirugía (algunos casos) (AU)

The encrustant uropathy is an infectious disease of the urinary tract caused by urealithic bacteria Corynebacterium urealyticum (CU). In our series (unpublished data) only 15% of CU infections caused encrustant uropathy. Formation of apatite and struvite on the wall of the urothelium can affect renal pelvis (pyelitis), urether, bladder (cystophatie) and prostate, including prostate cell after resection ("cellpathy"). Pyelitis is the most common. Clinical triad corresponds to alkaline urine, pyuria and struvite crystalluria. Patients are usually immunocompromised or or multiple previous surgeries. Urine culture should be directed to the diagnosis of UC. CT is the imaging test of choice. Shows typical images of laminar calcification. Treatment of encrusted uro pathy is multimodal. Includes antibiotics, acidification of urine and surgery (sometimes) (AU)

Alkaline-encrusted pyelitis and cystitis: an easily missed and life-threatening urinary infection.

Alkaline-encrusted pyelitis is a urinary infection characterised by encrustations in the wall of the urinary tract. It is caused by fastidious growing urea splitting microorganisms mainly Corynebacterium group D2. The diagnosis is easily missed and should be evoked on basis of sterile pyuria, alkaline urine pH and calcifications of the urinary excretion ways on the CT scan and then confirmed by prolonged culture on appropriate media. The authors report here the case of a patient who died after a delayed diagnosis from recurrent septic urinary infections.

[Encrusted pyelitis in a transplanted kidney]. / Pielitis incrustante en riñón trasplantado.

OBJECTIVES: To emphasize the importance of early diagnosis of encrusted pyelitis in kidney transplant patients. METHODS: We report one case of encrusted pyelitis in a 10-year-old girl with a kidney graft who was treated by means of nephrostomy tube irrigation with an acidifier liquid substance. RESULTS: After 16 days of treatment there was a significant decrease of the size of the calcified pyelic plaque, keeping a good renal function afterwards. CONCLUSIONS: This disease should be thought of in every case of kidney transplant patient with negative urine cultures and alkaline pH, and the microbiologist should be alerted of the possibility of urinary tract infection by Corynebacterium.