title: Glomerulonephritis in water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) naturally infected by Fasciola hepatica.
abstract: Glomerulonephritis caused by Fasciola hepatica was observed in buffaloes. Renal biopsies of 20 buffaloes, 11 with F. hepatica and 9 uninfected buffaloes (controls), were examined by light microscopy, direct and indirect immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemical analysis. The biopsies of seven (63.6%) infected buffaloes revealed membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis, three biopsies (27.3%) showed mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis, and one kidney presented normal biopsy specimens. In the control group, seven buffaloes (77.8%) presented normal biopsy specimens, while two (22.2%) revealed glomerulonephritis-one with a membranoproliferative pattern, and the other with a mesangioproliferative pattern-with extensive inflammatory cell infiltrate. Our conclusion is that glomerulopathy is associated with fascioliasis and that buffaloes are suitable as a naturally existing experimental model of renal injury by circulating immune complexes.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sandra Márcia Tietz
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Marques
authors.forename: Maria Lúcia
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Scroferneker
authors.forename: Maria Isabel Albano
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Edelweiss
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000032:analysis; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000032:analysis; D001706:Biopsy / Q000662:veterinary; D001938:Brazil; D002020:Buffaloes / Q000469:parasitology*; D005210:Fasciola hepatica / Q000254:growth & development*; D005211:Fascioliasis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D019085:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct / Q000662:veterinary; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect / Q000662:veterinary; D015432:Glomerulonephritis, Membranoproliferative / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D000947:Antigens, Helminth