Glomerular pathology in leprosy. An electron microscopic study.
Electron microscopic examination of renal biopsies from 19 patients with leprosy who had edema, proteinuria, or hematuria showed a proliferative glomerulonephritis in 12, amyloidosis in 2, and no lesion in 5. The proliferative glomerulonephritis was of different patterns: diffuse with or without exudation, focal, or mesangial. Subendothelial and/or subepithelial deposits were seen in five biopsies. Of the patients with glomerulonephritis, 3 had a reduced total serum complement level, 5 had erythema nodosum leprosum, 5 had evidence of recent streptococcal infection, and 2 had microfilariae in the peripheral blood. The significance of these findings is discussed.
D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D002196:Capillaries / Q000473:pathology; D004893:Erythema Nodosum / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D005921:Glomerulonephritis / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology*; D007918:Leprosy / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged