Vibriosis-associated acute kidney injury : Incidence and outcome

Abstract Purpose: Vibriosis, caused by Vibrio cholerae , is an intestinal infection characterized by profuse watery diarrhea, leading to significant fluid loss. This study aimed to assess the clinical features, outcomes, and severity of cholera among hospitalized patients and its association with acute kidney injury (AKI). Methods : A prospective cohort study was conducted on 70 patients with confirmed V. cholerae infection at Baghdad Teaching Hospital, Medical City, during the cholera outbreak in Iraq (June–October 2022). Patients were recruited from the emergency department and medical quarantine ward. Diagnosis was based on clinical features and confirmed by stool culture using Thiosulfate-Citrate-Bile Salts-Sucrose (TCBS) agar, according to WHO criteria. Results : AKI was identified in 83% of patients. While most were managed conservatively, 13% required hemodialysis. The V. cholerae Ogawa serotype was isolated in 55.7% of cases. Patients with AKI were significantly older than those without. Abnormal skin turgor was noted in 82.8% of AKI cases and was significantly associated with kidney injury. Blood pressure did not differ significantly between groups. Severe dehydration was more prevalent among AKI patients. Conclusion : AKI is a common complication of cholera and may occur even in the absence of hypovolemic shock or severe dehydration. A notable proportion required renal replacement therapy, underscoring the need for early recognition and management of renal involvement in cholera .