title: Human glomerulonephritis and persistent non-polio enterovirus infection.
abstract: In a prospective work, we have studied the non-polio enterovirus (NPEV) excretion in spot urine and stools by four appropriate cell cultures, in four different groups: 20 exposed controls (GI), 88 patients with renal biopsy 'proven GN' (GII), 38 cases with 'proven nonGN' (GIII), and 9 with 'probable nonGN' (GIV). The positive excretion in stools and/or urine is respectively 0 and 5% in Group I, 14 and 33% in Group II, 6 and 19% in Group III, and 13 and 22% in Group IV. Viruria, the consequence of a viraemia, is therefore associated with 'proven GN' (p less than 0.05). In the majority of patients with positive NPEV excretion, we have made an additional but similar study, 3-12 months later. Persistent excretion was confirmed in 22/30 cases in Group II (73%) versus 0/8 in Group III-IV (p less than 0.001). These data concerned patients with membranoproliferative GN [5], membranous GN [6], mesangial IgA GN [6], endocapillary GN [2] or minimal lesions [3]. Thus we have demonstrated a significant relation between persistent NPEV urine/stools excretion and the occurrence of active GN in humans. Such persistent viral infections may represent the cause of some GN, probably mediated by an immune complex mechanism with viral antigens.
mesh_terms: D004770:Enterovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004769:Enterovirus Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D005921:Glomerulonephritis / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D011446:Prospective Studies