La lepra y el riñón

Abstract

A review is made of leprosy's effect on the kidneys when related to secondary phenomena, such as precipitation within glomerules of antigen-antibody complexes, or fibrillar proteins resulting from chronic inflamation orto complications dueto polychemotherapy against the leprosy bacillus, ¡.e. not being due to M. Ieprae presence within the renal nerves or parenchyma. The following circumstances have been described: a) defects in urine concentration and acidification; b) acute and chronic interstitial nephritis; c) acute renal failure; d) systemic secondary or reactive amyloidosis; and e) glomerulonephritis. It is also pointed out that leprosy is not a contraindication for renal transplant, because the disease (having already been cured) may not become active again, or, if it does, or erupts because of the irnmunosuppression needed to maintain the transplant, can be controlled with availble polychemotherpy.