IgA Nephropathy in a HIV Positive Section Patient: A Rare Case Scenario

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) affects almost every organ in the body. There may be direct cytopathic effects, or the affected individual may be infected by opportunistic organisms. HIV has been known to cause various renal syndromes and histopathological conditions. The kidneys are among the most commonly affected organs in individuals with HIV. Renal dysfunction is the most frequent complication of HIV, both before and after the introduction of Antiretroviral Therapy (ART), and it is the leading cause of mortality in AIDS. Kidney disease can present as HIV-associated nephropathy (HIVAN), immune complex disease in HIV, or Thrombotic Microangiopathy (TMA). HIV-associated focal glomerulosclerosis is the most common biopsy finding; however, other conditions, such as IgA nephropathy, may also be observed in certain cases. This report discusses a 21-year-old male HIV patient who developed renal failure and subsequently required haemodialysis. To determine the cause of the renal failure, a decision was made to perform a renal biopsy. The renal biopsy results were suggestive of IgA nephropathy. The patient was treated with corticosteroids and did not require dialysis thereafter. This case represents a rare scenario in which a patient with HIV presented with renal failure due to IgA nephropathy. Thus, despite its rarity, IgA nephropathy should be considered as a differential diagnosis in HIV patients experiencing renal failure.