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The article reports on the molecular detection of betanodavirus from the farmed fish, Platax orbicularis in French Polynesia. As reported the infected larvae of the reared fishes were sampled which showed the mortality rates up to 88 percent. These clinical observations suggested a betanodavirus infection which is supposed to be the aetiological agent of viral nervous necrosis (VNN) disease. The VNN has become a serious threat to marine fish farming in recent years.

Purpose. – Though currently asymptomatic, a sickle cell trait can be responsible for renal abnormalities with macroscopic hematuria.Methods. – Ten patients were admitted to our department with gross hematuria in sickle trait.Results. – Six blacks men and four blacks women, aged from 17 to 53 years, had recurrent episodes of gross hematuria with clots in five patients and lumbar pain in four patients. Duration of gross hematuria varied from two weeks to two years. Imaging findings were normal. Urinary concentration ability was abnormally low in all patients but none had an impairement of the ability to dilute the urine or tubular dysfunction. Resolution of hematuria was obtained by abundant and alkaline hydratation in three patients. In six patients, aminocaproic acid was successfully employed, with a complete (3/6) or partial (3/6) efficiency. In one last patient, oral urea permitted a partial improvement.Conclusion. – Combination of chemical and physical factors in renal medullary of sickle cell trait are reponsible for gross hematuria and impaired capacity to concentrate the urine. A cautious care must still be given to make this association a diagnostic of exclusion. Clinical is usually benign. When resting and alkaline hydration are not sufficient to resolve hematuria, antifibrinolytic agents such as aprotinin, oral urea, urologic technical are sometimes necessary. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

DEFINITION OF HYPOURICEMIA: Hypouricemia (serum uric acid less than 120 micro mol/l) is a biological abnormality often discovered accidentally and with a low prevalence depending on its permanent or transitory nature ranging from 0.15 to 3.38%. NEW PHYSIOLOGICAL CONCEPTS OF ITS PATHOGENESIS: Recently, our knowledge of the physiopathological mechanisms of hypouricemia has been emphasized by the identification of three systems of renal and extra-renal uric acid transport: a Cl/urate (URAT1) transporter, a multispecific organic anion transporter (OAT) and a urate transporter/channel. ETIOLOGY AND COMPLICATIONS OF HYPOURICEMIA: Through questioning, drugs and toxics (allopurinol.) are generally rapidly recognized as responsible for half of the hypouricemia encountered. It can be concomitant to a known disease: severe liver disease, neoplasia, diabetes, AIDS, syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion. Hypouricemia can also be isolated and justifies the measurement of uric acid clearance, the normality or reduction of which orients towards a deficiency in xanthine-oxydase, the increase in which suggests an abnormality in uric acid transport in the proximal tubule (Fanconi syndrome, primary hereditary anomaly of tubular uric acid transport). Hypouricemia does not appear to expose the patient to any danger, but the onset of nephrolithiasis or acute renal failure secondary to the combination of severe hypouricemia and oxidant stress is always possible.

Introduction: This study reports the largest series of acute renal failure following collective poisoning by Cortinarius orellanus since 1957., Patients: Twelve men, in whom altered renal function appeared following ingestion of mushroom soup (Cortinarius orellanus) when they were 20 to 23 year-old, were followed up for 13 years., Results: After a period of latency of between 2 to 5 days, the patients complained of asthenia, intense thirst and digestive and neurological disorders. On admission, 4 were anuretic and two exhibited polyuria. Leukocyturia was detected in all patients but without proteinuria. Renal biopsy was performed on day 14 in seven patients. It revealed severe tubulo-interstitial lesions with polymorphous cell infiltration, oedema, loose fibrosis and epithelial necrosis. Eight patients required haemodialysis. Nine patients received corticosteroids for less than 6 months. Over a follow-up period of 13 years, seven patients recovered normal renal function, four underwent transplantation and one was still under haemodialysis and died, victim of a car accident., Conclusion: The incidence of acute renal failure varies from 30 to 46%. It depends on individual sensitivity, pre-existing nephropathy and the cumulated dose of toxin ingested. Early and severe interstitial fibrosis, marked interstitial oedema and tubular epithelial necrosis are the most characteristics renal lesions. Renal failure regresses progressively over several months in 60% of cases. In the other patients, terminal renal failure appears immediately or after several years. The evolution is not influenced by corticosteroid therapy.

Purpose: Though currently asymptomatic, a sickle cell trait can be responsible for renal abnormalities with macroscopic hematuria., Methods: Ten patients were admitted to our department with gross hematuria in sickle trait., Results: Six blacks men and four blacks women, aged from 17 to 53 years, had recurrent episodes of gross hematuria with clots in five patients with lumbar pain in four patients. Duration of gross hematuria varied from two weeks to two years. Imaging findings were normal. Urinary concentration ability was abnormally low in all patients but none had an impairement of the ability to dilute the urine or tubular dysfunction. Resolution of hematuria was obtained by abundant and alkaline hydratation in three patients. In six patients, aminocaproic acid was successfully employed, with a complete (3/6) or partial (3/6) efficiency. In one last patient, oral urea permitted a partial improvement., Conclusion: Combination of chemical and physical factors in renal medullary of sickle cell trait are responsible for gross hematuria and impaired capacity to concentrate the urine. A cautious care must still be given to make this association a diagnostic of exclusion. Clinical is usually benign. When resting and alkaline hydration are not sufficient to resolve hematuria, antifibrinolytic agents such as aprotinin, oral urea, urologic technical are sometimes necessary.

Background: Diagnosis of familial benign hypercalcemia can be challenged by the association with a urinary lithiasis, which, in the presence of hypercalcemia, will most frequently lead to affirm primary hyperparathyroidism., Case Reports: We report the case of a 23 year-old patient who presented with a left ureteral stone composed of calcium oxalate. His serum total calcium value was 2.92 mmol/l. Serum PTH value was inappropriately in the normal range (32 ng/l, normal values 10 to 58 ng/l). Hypercalcemia persisted despite a subtotal parathyroidectomy and new investigation biochemical revealed familial benign hypercalcemia., Conclusion: This diagnosis is usually made fortuitously, since most patients have few, if any, symptoms. A past familial history of hypercalcemia and several biochemical features (such as a reduced fractional excretion of calcium, mild hypermagnesemia, and a normal serum inorganic phosphorus level) are helpful dues to the diagnosis of familial benign hypercalcemia. In some cases, however, searching for an inactivating mutation of the extracellular calcium-sensing receptor gene is necessary to distinguish this autosomal dominant disease from primary hyperparathyroidism.

Introduction: IgD myeloma is a rare disease, comprising only 1-2% of all cases of myeloma., Exegesis: A 71-year-old woman was admitted with acute renal failure, hypercalcemia and IgD lambda multiple myeloma. Dialysis was necessary. Six monthly cures of chemotherapy of induction according to the protocol VAD (vincristine, doxorubicin and dexamethasone) allowed to achieve moderate chronic renal failure (serum creatinine = 120 mumol/L). Sixteen months later, the patient developed an abdominal mass due to an IgD plasmocytoma in spite of treatment with interferon alpha and dexamethasone. Chemotherapy with melphalan and dexamethasone allowed to the disappearance of plasmocytoma and remission. The death occurred 36 months after the diagnosis., Conclusion: This observation allows to display the particularities of IgD myeloma: remarkable preponderance of lambda-type light chains, small or no visible monoclonal spike on serum electrophoresis, frequent extraosseous spread of tumor, renal failure and presence of osteolytic lesions. Over the last years, management and prediction of the survival time of IgD myeloma patients have improved.

The simultaneous occurrence of acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis and thrombotic microangiopathy is rare. A 47-year-old woman was admitted with acute renal failure, hematuria, edematous nephrotic syndrome and severe hypertension. This acute nephritic syndrome occurred two weeks after left leg erysipelas. The patient also had signs of intravascular hemolysis, low serum levels of C3 and C4 and elevated antistreptolysin-O titer. Kidney biopsy confirmed postinfectious glomerulonephritis with diffuse hypercellularity and humps, and simultaneous subendothelial hyalin deposits and fibrinoid arteriolar thrombi. The patient received four antihypertensive drugs, acetylsalicyclic acid and plasma infusions. Renal function improved, hypertension was controlled and serum levels of C3 and C4 complement components returned to normal within three months. This case illustrates the occurrence of thrombotic microangiopathy in association with acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis. This simultaneous appearance supports a role of neuraminidase in this disease.

Purpose: Clinical renal outbreaks occurring in the course of sarcoidosis are polymorphous., Methods: Nine patients presenting with sarcoidosis were followed up for 18 years., Results: Five patients presented with chronic interstitial nephritis. Renal failure accompanying granuloma was also present in three of them. Corticotherapy allowed rapid improvement in renal function in three patients. In two other cases, late treatment prevented recovery and led to end-stage renal failure in one case. In another case, persistent hypercalciuria was responsible for bilateral nephrolithiasis further treated via extracorporeal lithotrity. One case of mesangial glomerulonephritis and two morbid associations (retroperitoneal fibrosis and Henoch-Schönlein purpura) were observed., Conclusion: Interstitial nephritis is still a severe clinical renal outbreak. Corticotherapy must be prescribed early to avoid renal failure. Calcium metabolism disorders are frequent and often combined with interstitial nephritis. Hypercalcemia can often and rapidly be improved via corticotherapy, while monitoring of hypercalciuria proves to be more difficult. Membranous glomerulonephritis is still the most frequently reported glomerular lesion.

Background: In the very large majority of cases, nephrotic syndrome with minimal glomerular lesions is an idiopathic condition. Drugs can favor the glomerulopathy. The effect of non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs is well known, but other drugs, particularly tiopronin may be incriminated., Case Report: A 73-year-old patient developed severe nephrotic syndrome with minimal glomerular lesions 6 weeks after tiopronin therapy was initiated. Complete and spontaneous remission of the nephrotic syndrome was achieved 5 weeks after drug withdrawal. No recurrent lipoidic nephrosis has been observed at 3 years follow-up., Conclusion: Tiopronin-induced nephrotic syndrome with minimal glomerular lesions is usually severe and develops rapidly. Remission occurs rapidly after drug withdrawal. Weekly urine checks with dip-strips should be proposed in patients treated with tiopronin.

A 68 years-old patient was followed-up during five years for idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis. The diagnosis was based on repeated examinations with two laparotomies as well as numerous biopsies. At autopsy a primary retroperitoneal sarcoma was found. This case points out the difficulty to differentiate idiopathic from malignant retroperitoneal fibrosis. Only one similar case was published in the literature.