Collapsing Glomerulonephritis in a Kidney Transplant Recipient after mRNA SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination

Abstract

With the vaccination against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), studies are describing cases of glomerulonephritis arising after vaccination. We present the first case of a kidney transplant patient who, after mRNA vaccination against SARS-CoV-2, developed nephrotic proteinuria and renal dysfunction, with a biopsy diagnostic of collapsing glomerulonephritis. No other triggers for this glomerulonephritis were identified. Antibodies against the spike protein were negative, but the patient developed a specific T-cell response. The close time between vaccination and the proteinuria suggests a possible determinant role of vaccination. We should be aware of nephropathies appearing after COVID-19 vaccination in kidney transplant recipients also.

Keywords

• SARS-CoV-2
• vaccine
• COVID-19
• collapsing
• glomerulonephritis
• mRNA