Chronic kidney disease in HIV infections: early detection and preventive strategies

Sub-Saharan Africa is at the epicentre of the HIV pandemic. Acute and chronic kidney disease is common in the course of HIV infection. There is a huge projected burden of CKD as a result of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa, for which we do not have the resources to cope. At present, most people with ESRD and HIV are not offered renal replacement therapy (dialysis and transplantation). More emphasis needs to be placed on screening and prevention of CKD in HIV. A screening and prevention programme for CKD in HIV needs to be devised and implemented as a matter of urgency. Appropriate and well-designed research from the sub-Saharan region needs to be done to determine the effect of interventions on the progression of CKD in HIV.