Granulomatous glomerulonephritis, without systemic disorder

The case of a 12-year-old girl dying of renal insufficiency is described. At autopsy granulomatous glomerulonephritis was found without any systemic disease. The glomerular light-, immunofluorescent- and electron microscopic changes were studied. Four hundred glomeruli were analyzed by light microscopic investigation and graded (I-IV). By immunofluorescent investigation, intraglomerular and in the more severely affected glomeruli, periglomerular immunoglobulin deposition was detected. Electron microscopic investigation revealed mononuclear cells and fibroblasts in the glomerular and periglomerular cellular infiltrate, resulting in fragmentation and rupture of Bowman's capsule and loss of the glomerular structure.