title: Novel C3 nephritic factor activity in the glomerulonephritis of staphylococcal endocarditis.
abstract: A case of glomerulonephritis complicating staphylococcal endocarditis is presented. Hypocomplementaemia and a C3-activating factor in the serum suggested that the patient might have mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis in association with C3-nephritic factor. Renal biopsy showed that this was not so and further examination of the serum factor showed that it differed from classical C3-nephritic factor because it was not an immunoglobulin. It is postulated that complement activation and glomerulonephritis in staphylococcal endocarditis may be the direct result of a bacterial product. A substance in the serum which activates C3 should be confirmed to be an immunoglobulin before the presence of classical C3-nephritic factor is assumed.
authors.affiliation: City Hospital, Nottingham.
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Craddock
authors.forename: N P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Richards
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Powell
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Morgan
mesh_terms: D003167:Complement Activation; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000032:analysis*; D003178:Complement C3 Nephritic Factor / Q000032:analysis; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D005921:Glomerulonephritis / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D003176:Complement C3; D003178:Complement C3 Nephritic Factor