Naphthalene induced acute kidney injury in an African patient in Ghana: about a case report

Abstract

Naphthalene is commonly used in Ghana as an insecticide and there have been occasional unintentional ingestion in children. Naphthalene use has been associated with intravascular haemolysis especially in patients with glucose-6-phoshate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency but its unorthodox use for the treatment of urethritis in a young man and its associated acute kidney injury has not been described in Ghana. This case report bring to fore the indiscriminate use of complementary medicine and the multiple adverse effects on the kidneys after the ingestion of a combination of naphthalene, alcohol and aluminium sulphate (Alum) as a treatment for urethritis upon a friend's suggestion requiring intermittent haemodialysis but recovered completely of his renal functions. Naphthalene ingestion can cause acute tubular necrosis from haemoglobinuria and timely interventions is necessary to restore renal and maintain good renal functions.

Keywords

• naphthalene
• acute kidney injury
• acute tubular necrosis
• glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency