Viral tubulointerstitial nephritis in children: A narrative review with a focus on adenovirus


Pinar Kuzucu E., Ates M. B., AĞBAŞ A., YILMAZ B. E., SAYGILI S. K., ÖZLÜK M. Y., ...Daha Fazla

Pediatric Nephrology, 2025 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus) identifier identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Derleme
  • Basım Tarihi: 2025
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1007/s00467-025-07060-1
  • Dergi Adı: Pediatric Nephrology
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, BIOSIS, CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: Adenovirus, Children, Immunosuppression, Kidney biopsy, Tubulointerstitial nephritis, Virus
  • İstanbul Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Viral infections are well-known causes of systemic illness in children, but their kidney involvement, particularly acute tubulointerstitial nephritis (TIN), remain underdiagnosed and clinically underestim ated. A wide range of viruses has been implicated in pediatric TIN, including Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, BK virus, parvovirus B19, respiratory syncytial virus, and SARS-CoV-2. Among these, adenovirus stands out for its potential to cause severe kidney injury. Delayed diagnosis remains a challenge due to nonspecific symptoms and limited use of kidney biopsy. Heightened clinical suspicion and early virologic work-up are essential to enable timely intervention and improve outcomes. This narrative review aims to raise awareness of viral-associated TIN in the pediatric population, with a specific focus on adenovirus. In addition to summarizing cases identified from the existing literature, we present two pediatric cases with biopsy-confirmed TIN: one in a kidney transplant recipient and the other in a previously healthy infant, illustrating the broad clinical spectrum of the disease.