Viewpoint On
Deoliveira Margaret, Sikri Hridyesh, Mon-Wei Yu Samuel, Cijiang He John: Viral Glomerulopathy. Glomerular Dis DOI 10.1159/000531434
Viral-induced glomerular disease is a very important part of the spectrum of glomerulonephritis, especially since many of these diseases can now be prevented or treated with viral-specific approaches.
In a well-written review, De Oliveira and co-authors provide an update on this subject emphasizing HIV, SARS-CoV-2, HCV, and HBV. The clinical spectrum of these diseases is constantly changing, particularly HIV. It seems that HIV has a direct pathogenic effect on the kidney, whereas with SARS-CoV-2 the effects on the kidney are largely indirect. The role of kidney biopsy in HIV disease is appropriately recognized. The risks imposed by alleles at the APOL1 locus on both HIV and SARS-CoV-2 infection are detailed.
The glomerular disease related to HCV and HBV infection has been altered greatly by the availability of effective anti-viral therapy. Vaccination for HBV has drastically reduced the prevalence of HBV infection in many, but not all, countries of the world.
This update is a welcome contribution and is highly recommended for reading.