Acute pyelonephritis with renal abscesses and acute renal failure after salmonella infection

Urinary tract infections, renal abscess formation and acute renal failure (ARF) after salmonella infection are rarely reported in children. We present a previously healthy teenager who developed ARF with renal abscess formation after salmonella infection, in whom we believe that acute salmonella pyelonephritis was the main causative factor for ARF and not dehydration, shock or rhabdomyolysis, which have already been described in the literature. With prolonged antibiotic treatment and adequate hydration, the boy's condition improved, but chronic kidney disease was unfortunately inevitable.

Salmonella pyelonephritis has, according to our knowledge, not yet been described to be the main causative factor of ARF in previously healthy children, as was the case in our patient. Long-term antibiotic treatment of at least 6 weeks is probably a must in such patients, even though chronic kidney disease could not have been prevented.