{
  "id": 10939896,
  "title": "Lupus can mimic HIV symptoms and damage kidneys if untreated – KNUST expert",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/lupus-can-mimic-hiv-symptoms-and-damage-kidneys-if-untreated-knust",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-09-30T12:30:36.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
    "slug": "myjoyonline-ghana",
    "url": "https://www.myjoyonline.com/lupus-can-mimic-hiv-symptoms-and-damage-kidneys-if-untreated-knust-expert/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "Health experts are sounding the alarm about lupus, an autoimmune condition that can mimic symptoms of HIV and damage vital organs like the kidneys if left untreated. At the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), kidney-related cases have surged in recent years, with patients often reporting symptoms late, allowing the disease to cause significant kidney damage. Lupus, an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks healthy tissues, can lead to chronic kidney disease and, in severe cases, kidney failure. One such patient is 28-year-old nurse Patience Appau Owusu, who has been living with lupus-related chronic kidney disease for four years and is now unable to perform daily tasks due to persistent swelling and extreme temperature sensitivity. Experts at KATH, including Professor Elliot Kuranto Tannor from the KNUST School of Medical Sciences, warn that lupus can affect multiple parts of the body, including the kidneys, and may present with symptoms similar to HIV, leading to misdiagnosis. Professor Tannor highlighted that research at the hospital has shown a quadrupling of kidney-related outpatient cases and a tripling of admission cases over a decade, with most patients seeking medical help only after their conditions have progressed significantly.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}