Leprosy and the Kidneys

Abstract

Renal lesions in leprosy occur in pauci- or multi-bacillary patients but predominate in those with multi-bacillary lesions and especially in those with type 2 reactions or erythema nodosum leprosum. Renal affection is usually silent, chronic and can become the cause of death in leprosy patients due to uraemia. It is easily detected, through simple urinalysic in which (albuminuria) proteinuria, cylindruria and haematuria are detected. This urinalysis should be done on each leprosy patient and must be done during type 2 reactions, in which some degree of compromise of the kidney (mainly by immune-complexes) has been dernonstrated in 100% of reactions, along with cutaneous, lymphadenopatic, neuritic and occular lesions. Renal lesions in Colombian leprosy patients have not been properly studied, probably because cutaneous lesions cal1 physicians' main attention. Systemic secondary amyloidosis and immune complex membranoproliferative glornerulonephritis have been documented.