Visceral leishmaniasis in a kidney transplant recipient: Parasitic interstitial nephritis, a cause of renal dysfunction

Abstract

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) due to Leishmania infantum is an endemic parasitic infection in the Mediterranean area. It most commonly affects immunosuppressed individuals, especially HIV patients and less frequently organ transplant recipients. Renal involvement seems to be frequent and is mostly associated with tubulointerstitial nephritis, as described in autopsy reports. In the 61 cases of renal transplant recipients with VL reported in the literature, renal dysfunction was noted at clinical presentation and was more frequently observed as a complication of antiparasitic therapy. However, no pathological analysis of the allograft lesions was reported. We present the case of a Swiss renal transplant recipient who developed VL after vacations in Spain and Tunisia, complicated by acute parasitic nephritis in the renal allograft 3 months after a well-conducted treatment of liposomal amphotericin B. © 2010 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.