Acute kidney injury following multiple wasp stings.

BACKGROUND: Common manifestations of hypersensitivity reactions to toxins of stinging insects range from local swelling to angioedema and anaphylaxis. Sometimes it may result in unusual manifestations like intravascular hemolysis, disseminated intravascular coagulation, rhabdomyolysis, etc. Acute kidney injury (AKI) due to immune-mediated acute interstitial nephritis is an extremely uncommon manifestation of insect stings.

CASE-DIAGNOSIS/TREATMENT: A 9-year-old boy who developed renal failure from acute interstitial nephritis 7 days after getting stung by a swarm of wasps at multiple sites is described. He regained normal renal function after eight sessions of hemodialysis.

CONCLUSIONS: Acute interstitial nephritis resulting in AKI may be either due to immune-mediated tubulointerstitial injury or acute cellular injury caused by obstruction by pigments like hemoglobin and myoglobin. Timely and appropriate supportive management usually cures the patient without any residual damage. The objective of reporting this case is to draw the attention of fellow clinicians towards the possibility of this unusual but life-threatening delayed complication in multiple wasp stings, even if there are no significant immediate reactions.