HUMAN OCHRATOXICOSIS AND NEPHROPATHY IN EGYPT - A PRELIMINARY-STUDY

This preliminary study was designed in a trial to delineate the size o f the problem of ochratoxicosis and its relation to genesis of lesions mounting to end stage renal disease (ESRD) or urothelial tumors in Eg ypt. This study comprised five groups of patients having renal disease s of different presentations; they are: patients with (ESRD) under con servative medical treatment (group 1), patients with (ESRD) under trea tment with regular hemodialysis (group 2), renal allograft recipients (group 3), patients with nephrotic syndrome (group 4) and patients wit h urothelial tumors (group 5). In addition, two reference groups: pote ntial related donors for renal transplantation (group 6) and healthy c ontrol with negative family history of renal disease (group 7). For al l groups, laboratory, radiological and histopathological evaluation of kidney status were carried out coupled with determination of ochratox in A level in serum, in urine and in biopsy specimens of patients with urothelial tumors. High ochratoxin serum levels were found in patient s with ESRD (groups 1 and 2) (P < 0.01), higher serum levels were dete cted in the group without dialysis (group 1) in comparison with the re ference groups possibly due to ochratoxin. A clearance by dialysis. Oc hratoxin A was detected in serum and urine of renal transplant recipie nts (group 3) (P < 0.01) and especially higher levels were found in pa tients with nephrotic syndrome (group 4) (P < 0.001). For the group wi th urothelial turner (group 5), positive serum, urine and tissue biops y specimens for ochratoxin levels were found (P < 0.01). The results c ould lead to the conclusion that ochratoxin A could be correlated to t he genesis of renal disease leading to (ESRD) or causing urothelial ca ncer. A thorough and in depth study of the problem of ochratoxicosis a nd renal disease causation in Egypt is now recommended.