How close have I been to kidney failure?

The Nigerian social media space is filled with posts seeking financial support for one or two people with certain medical challenges. At least, about 4 out of every 10 of such posts have to do with kidney problems requiring kidney transplants. So much so that I started snooping around for what could be the cause of the spike in kidney problems.

From my findings, most of the problems arise from:

• Skin bleaching: The obsession with fair complexion, especially by female folks, has led to many indulging in skin bleaching. Many bleaching creams contain chemicals that could damage the kidney due to their percolation through the skin.
• Herbal abuse: Herbal concoctions remain a major source of medicine for a large percentage of the Nigerian population, even among the elites. The evolution of antibiotic resistance has further compounded the situation. People resort to mixing different herbs together in the hope that they will work in synergy to bring about quick healing. While this may either work or not, it puts a lot of pressure on the kidney, the organ responsible for water reabsorption in the body.
• Heavy metal contamination of food and water: Heavy metals such as mercury nickel, and cadmium are dangerous for the kidney. They accumulate over time from the food and or water that we drink and cause damage to the cells and tissues of the kidney. The results are chronic kidney disease, kidney failure, and other health problems.
• Dehydration: Inadequate water in the body system reduces blood flow to the kidneys, leading to decreased filtration and accumulation of waste products in the blood. Prolonged dehydration can damage the kidneys' delicate tissues, leading to acute kidney injury and eventual kidney failure. Dehydration can also lead to the formation of kidney stones, which can further impair kidney function.

These factors are different from the conventional factors that are popularly known to be the underlining cause of kidney failure. Such as diabetes, high blood pressure, autoimmune diseases, and so on.

More recently though, I was reading about food poisoning and came across a statement that says this condition can lead to kidney failure. This really got me wondering how close I have been to being a victim of the dreaded medical condition when I had a strong episode of food poisoning.

The poisoning was from a meal of jollof rice and chicken. within a few minutes after taking the meal, an episode of stomach cramps and purging followed. It was so strong that by the time I came out of the toilet the third time, I could hardly walk. Between the time I was rushed to the hospital around 1:00 am and 6:00 am, I had taken about 6 intravenous drips with antibiotic infusions.

Even though I got well a while after, barring the lack of bowel movement that followed a few days later, the fact that food poisoning can lead to kidney failure has left me wondering what could have been.

How does food poisoning leads to kidney failure?

Food poisoning can be caused by different species of bacteria such as Salmonella, E. col, Campylobacter, Listeria monocytogenes, Vibrio, Shigella, Clostridium perfringens, Staphylococcus aureus, and so on. Of particular interest is E. coli when it comes to linking food poisoning with kidney failure.

According to research findings, the toxin produced by a particular strain of E. coli, E.coli O157, during food poisoning can damage the lining of small blood vessels in the kidneys, thereby causing inflammation and blood clots. This condition is known as hemolytic uremic syndrome and can lead to acute injury to kidney cells and tissues, and in extreme cases, kidney failure.

The strain is capable of evolving from E.coli poisoning through a complex process that involves genetic mutations, horizontal gene transfer, and natural selection. Worse still, bacteria are generally known to have a high rate of mutation. Thus, every food poisoning caused by E. coli has the potential to lead to kidney failure unless the proliferation of the bacterium is arrested as early as possible.

Thus, in order to answer my question of how close I have been to kidney failure, there is a need to know if the food poisoning I suffered was due to E. coli infection or otherwise. Unfortunately, I did not wait to receive the results of all of the laboratory tests conducted that day before being discharged out of fear of accruing hospital bills. Otherwise, I would have been able to ascertain the bacterium responsible for my condition.

Nevertheless, I think I am lucky to still be alive to write this post.

Don't ever joke about food poisoning!