Acute Kidney Failure as a Single Complication of Varicella Virus Infection in an Adult Patient

BACKGROUND: Varicella zoster virus (VZV) is distributed worldwide and is highly contagious. In adults and immunosuppressed patients of any age, the clinical course is much more severe. The most severe complications are pneumonia (the main cause of lethal outcomes in this infection), encephalitis, and very rarely Reye syndrome and hepatitis. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a 59-year-old man who came to the emergency department due to varicella and diarrhea. During initial evaluation acute kidney failure (AKF) was diagnosed, and the patient was admitted to the intensive care unit. Continuous renal replacement therapy was applied, and the patient was treated with acyclovir in adjusted doses; renal biopsy revealed acute tubular necrosis. Complete renal function recovery was established after 12 days. CONCLUSION: VZV infection occurs in a range of clinical scenarios, sometimes presenting only with mild symptoms, but in some other setting it can result in severe AKF even in healthy kidneys. Acute VZV infection can lead to isolated, clinically significant kidney failure. The administration of continuous renal replacement therapy and adjusted doses of acyclovir has a favorable effect on the course of the infection, with complete recovery of kidney function.