Rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis accompanying Legionnaires' disease.
A rapidly progressive, crescentic glomerulonephritis with acute oliguric renal failure occurred simultaneously with legionnaires' disease (LD) in a 52-year-old man. The diagnosis of LD was based on a sixfold rise in indirect fluorescent antibody titer against Legionella pneumophila serogroup 4. Treatment with erythromycin lactobionate resulted in a clinical resolution of pulmonary manifestations. The impairment of kidney function, however, was progressive and within two weeks led to end-stage renal failure requiring regular hemodialysis. This observation suggests that LD may trigger severe acute glomerulonephritis.
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005921:Glomerulonephritis / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D007875:Legionella / Q000276:immunology; D007877:Legionnaires' Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010400:Penicillin G / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D004917:Erythromycin; D010400:Penicillin G