[Important parasitic nephropathies: update from the recent literature]

Renal involvement in parasitic infections are polymorphic. Plasmodium malariae often leads to membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis whereas acute tubular necrosis or post-infectious acute glomerulonephritis are observed with Plasmodium falciparum. Urogenital taxis of Schistosoma haematobium is responsible for frequency of chronic tubular and interstitial nephritis. Without specific treatment, the renal function progressively deteriorates and urological complications appear. Schistosoma mansoni mainly leads to mesangial and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis. Membranoproliferative and membranous glomerulonephritis are reported with loasis. Onchocerca volvulus also leads to membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis and lipoid nephrosis. Renal involvement with Wuchereria bancrofti is rare. With leishmaniosis, it is often mild but more serious observations are described: acute glomerulonephritis, nephrotic syndrome or acute interstitial nephritis. Renal hydatic cysts are diagnosed in two or three per cent of cases. Surgery is the only treatment. Immunosuppressive or antimalarial treatments seem to be ineffective in the outcome of chronic glomerulonephritis.