Renal involvement in kala-azar

Fifty one patients in a series of 1000 parasitologically confirmed patients of kala-azar showing proteinuria were studied from the point of view of renal involvement. Forty two out of these patients showed blood urea above 40 mg/dl and 12 had decreased glomerular filtration rate as well. Serum creatinine level was normal in all patients including those with blood urea of more than 100 mg/dl. It is therefore suggested that although there may be glomerular involvement in some patients of kala-azar, the changes are reversible.