Patients with nephrotic syndrome have an increased risk of infection with which type of organisms?

Patients with nephrotic syndrome are particularly vulnerable to infections due to a combination of factors including heavy proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia, and immunosuppression. The loss of immunoglobulins in the urine, especially immunoglobulin G (IgG) and complement proteins, leads to a compromised immune response.

Encapsulated organisms are especially dangerous because the body relies on opsonization and phagocytosis to effectively eliminate these types of bacteria. In the case of nephrotic syndrome, the reduction in specific antibodies and complement proteins results in a higher susceptibility to infections with encapsulated organisms, such as Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae. These microorganisms are particularly notable because they possess a protective capsule that helps them evade the immune system, making it more challenging for patients with compromised immune function to mount an effective defense against them.

This is why patients with nephrotic syndrome are more prone to infections caused by encapsulated organisms rather than other types such as Gram-positive, mycobacterial, or viral pathogens, which do not share the same association with the specific immunodeficiency related to nephrotic syndrome.