Two Pediatric Patients with Acute Focal Bacterial Nephritis

Abstract

Acute focal bacterial nephritis (AFBN) is characterized by local bacterial infection of the kidney that forms an inflammatory mass, but does not form a frank abscess. We report two pediatric patients with AFBN. A 7-year-old girl was admitted to our hospital because of pyrexia and abdominal pain despite the abnormal finding of urinalysis. However, the urinary tract was normal by retrograde urography (RU). A 3-year-old boy began to exhibit pyrexia and tonic convulsion. Although he exhibited hydronephrosis and vesioureteral reflux by RU, urinalysis showed no abnormal finding. The definitive diagnosis of AFBN was made for both patients based on abdominal enhanced CT. We conclude that the abdominal enhanced CT is necessary to make the diagnosis of AFBN. In particular, we should rule out AFBN among the causes of unexplained fever in pediatric patients.