Alkaline-encrusted pyelitis and cystitis: an easily missed and life-threatening urinary infection.

Alkaline-encrusted pyelitis is a urinary infection characterised by encrustations in the wall of the urinary tract. It is caused by fastidious growing urea splitting microorganisms mainly Corynebacterium group D2. The diagnosis is easily missed and should be evoked on basis of sterile pyuria, alkaline urine pH and calcifications of the urinary excretion ways on the CT scan and then confirmed by prolonged culture on appropriate media. The authors report here the case of a patient who died after a delayed diagnosis from recurrent septic urinary infections.