Tropical Diseases Nephropathy - An Underemphasized Comorbidity

The tropical areas are a home to a number of diseases because of the hot & humid climate, and lack of health care facilities. Tropical Nephropathies are a major health problem and a matter of great concern. The main causes of kidney injury in tropics are due to bacterial, viral or parasitic infections like malaria, dengue, leptospirosis, scrub typhus, acute gastroenteritis, tuberculosis, leprosy and toxic envenomations like snake bite. Renal injury associated with tropical infections has a wide spectrum of presentations ranging from acute kidney injury to chronic kidney disease. Renal involvement in infectious diseases by one or other mechanism is a definite cause of increased morbidity and mortality. Proper understanding of these diseases, early diagnosis, patient education and improved health care facilities will lead to a better outcome and improved survival. This article reviews the various tropical infections causing kidney injury including pathophysiology and line of management.