Hepatitis E virus infection as a new probable cause of de novo membranous nephropathy after kidney transplantation. Issue 6 (18th September 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Taton, B.; Moreau, K.; Lepreux, S.; Bachelet, T.; Trimoulet, P.; De Ledinghen, V.; Pommereau, A.; Ronco, P.; Kamar, N.; Merville, P.; Couzi, L.
• Is Part Of: Transplant infectious disease. Volume 15:Issue 6(2013)
• Page Start: E211
• Page End: E215
• Publication Date: 2013-09-18
• Subjects: Transplantation of organs, tissues, etc -- Complications -- Periodicals; Communicable diseases -- Periodicals; Infection -- Periodicals; 617.01
• DOI: 10.1111/tid.12143
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1398-2273

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="tid12143-abs-0001"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>Hepatitis E virus (HEV) has been identified as a cause of chronic viral hepatitis in immunocompromised patients. Some glomerular diseases were found to be associated with this infection. We report the first case, to our knowledge, of a kidney transplant recipient who developed an HEV infection and <italic>de novo</italic> membranous nephropathy (MN) concomitantly. The patient displayed a hepatic cytolysis first and a nephrotic syndrome occurred 3 months later. HEV infection was diagnosed upon positive polymerase chain reaction on plasma and stool samples, and renal allograft biopsy revealed <italic>de novo </italic>MN. Typical causes of MN were definitively excluded. A 3‐month course of ribavirin monotherapy allowed the patient to mount a sustained viral response that was rapidly followed by complete remission of the nephrotic syndrome. The chronology of the onset and remission of both diseases is highly suggestive of a causal relationship between hepatitis E and MN.</p> </abstract>