Interstitial nephritis, acute renal failure in a patient with non-fulminant hepatitis A infection

This is the first report from Norway of a patient with interstitial nephritis and renal failure due to non-fulminant hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection. HAV infection was confirmed by positive anti-HAV IgM serology. All tests for other virus infections were negative. At admittance serum creatinine (s-Creat) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentration were 539 mol/l and 32.6 mmol/l increasing the following days to 890 mol/l and 39.9 mmol/l, respectively. Nine courses of hemodialysis had to be given. Kidney biopsy specimen showed interstitial edema, lymphocytic cell infiltration and acute tubular injury with normal glomeruli. Examination with immunohistochemistry was negative. In contrast to the findings associated with HBV and HCV infection in which glomerular disease is predominantly found, the HAV infection in our patient was associated with interstitial nephritis and acute tubular necrosis. The prognosis of the renal failure due to HAV infection was good although the recovery was substantially delayed.