A case report of typhoid fever masquerading as acute typhoid glomerulonephritis

IJCRI – International Journal of Case Reports and Images, Vol. 2, No. 3, March 2011. ISSN – [0976-3198] ABSTRACT Introduction: Typhoid fever is a common infectious disease worldwide, especially in developing countries. Typhoid fever presenting as nephritis is rare. The common renal complications of typhoid fever are pyelonephritis and cystitis. Patients with typhoid glomerulonephritis may present with acute renal failure, hypertensive encephalopathy or nephritic syndrome. Presence of typhoid nephritis increases mortality to 20-30% in untreated typhoid fever. Case report: We report a case of a 29-year-old patient in this case report who presented with fever, hypertension, pedal oedema, and hematuria. Widal was positive in high titres and blood culture grew Salmonella typhi. His fever, hypertension and oedema resolved on treatment for the infection. Conclusion: Typhoid fever presenting as typhoid glomerulonephritis is a rare occurrence and has to be considered in patients in endemic areas, presenting with nephritis and concomitant fever. High index of suspicion, prompt early diagnosis is beneficial, in preventing morbidity and mortality related to with Salmonella typhi infection.