Galloway-mowat syndrome - unusual form of nephrotic syndrome in adolescent

Galloway-Mowat syndrome (GMS), also acknowledged as Microcephaly-Hiatal hernia nephrotic syndrome, is an uncommon genetic disorder inherited as an autosomal recessive trait usually seen before two years of life. It is an exceptional multisystem genetic disorder with a collection of skeletal, neurological, facial, gastrointestinal, growth, and renal abnormalities. This case report describes GMS in a girl, suffering from developmental delay, stunted growth, and various dysmorphic features, in whom nephrotic syndrome became apparent at adolescent age.

Risk Factors for Urinary Tract Infections in Renal Allograft Recipients: Experience of a Tertiary Care Center in Hyderabad, South India

Renal transplantation is an effective and commonly performed procedure for end-stage renal disease. Urinary tract infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in renal transplant patients. As data on postrenal transplant urinary tract infections from the Indian subcontinent are limited, the present study was conducted to estimate the burden of urinary tract infections in this vulnerable group of patients. This was a prospective study on patients undergoing renal transplantation in 2014 at our tertiary hospital in South India with a follow-up of 2 years to evaluate the risk factors for urinary tract infections. The prevalence of urinary tract infections was 41.9% with a male preponderance of 76.9%. Mean age of the 31 patients was 32.4 ± 10.2 years (range: 16-55 years). Gram-negative bacilli were the most common isolates with Escherichia coli being the predominant pathogen (53.3%). All the infections occurred within 1 year of transplantation with delayed graft function (P < 0.001; confidence interval [CI]: 29.0-96.3) and prolonged hospital stay (P = 0.0281; CI: 42.1-99.6) being the significant risk factors for acquiring urinary tract infections. Carbapenemase production was noted in 33.3% of isolates and all the Gram-negative organisms isolated in the 1st month of transplantation were carbapenem-resistant (CR) E. coli. The high rate of carbapenem-resistant organisms in the early posttransplant period is a point of concern, especially with cadaver transplants. Infection control practices and catheter care need to be strictly monitored to minimize the risk for UTI in the immediate posttransplant period.

Prevalence of HBV and HCV dual infection in patients on haemodialysis

Hepatitis viral infections are important causes of morbidity and mortality in haemodialysis patients. One hundred and thirty four patients attending haemodialysis unit were screened for the presence of HBV and HCV infections. Eight (5.9%) patients were HCV positive while two (1.4%) patients had HBV infection. A dual infection with both the viruses was observed in five patients (3.7%).