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Case Reports
. 2020 Sep 28:2020:8820713.
doi: 10.1155/2020/8820713. eCollection 2020.

First Case of COVID-19-Associated Collapsing Glomerulopathy in Sub-Saharan Africa

Yannick M Nlandu  1 , Jean-Robert R Makulo  1 , Nestor M Pakasa  2 , Ernest K Sumaili  1 , Clarisse N Nkondi  1 , Justine B Bukabau  1 , François K Beya  2 , Nazaire M Nseka  1 , François B Lepira  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

First Case of COVID-19-Associated Collapsing Glomerulopathy in Sub-Saharan Africa

Yannick M Nlandu et al. Case Rep Nephrol. .

Abstract

Although the lungs remain the main target of SARS-CoV-2, other organs, such as kidneys, can be affected, which has a negative impact on the outcomes of COVID-19 patients. Although previous studies of kidney disease in COVID-19 reported mainly SARS-CoV-2-induced tubular and interstitial injury, there is growing evidence coming out of Africa of glomerular involvement, especially collapsing glomerulopathy seen particularly in people of African descent. We report a case of collapsing glomerulopathy revealed by acute kidney injury and a new onset of full blown nephrotic syndrome in a black Congolese patient coinfected with COVID-19 and malaria.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Kidney biopsy: representative light microscopy shows global collapse of the glomerular capillary loops accompanied by hyperplasia and hypertrophy of overlying glomerular epithelial cells (a–c) many of which contain scattered eosinophilic protein droplets (a, arrow) and numerous intracytoplasmic vacuoles (b, arrows). a: Jones methenamine silver stain; b: H&E stain; c: Masson's trichrome stain, ×400. Acute tubular injury is manifest in many cortical tubules, accompanied by interstitial edema and patchy interstitial mononuclear inflammatory infiltrates (d: H&E stain, ×400).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Changes in serum creatinine and proteinuria with time in a 48-year-old African male admitted for acute kidney injury with COVID-19.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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