[In Process Citation]

Recurrence of glomerulonephritis after kidney transplantation is especially in the long term an important cause of renal allograft failure. The exact frequency depends on the one hand how the diagnosis of recurrence was established, either on clinical grounds or histologically via a kidney transplant biopsy, and on the other hand on the type of the underlying or primary glomerular disease. The consequences of a relapse on allograft function and survival vary, depending on the primary disease. For example, recurrences after IgA nephropathy occur depending on the length of the observation period in over 50 % of the allografts with often relatively slow progression. However, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis recurrence generally have a much more rapid progression and poorer prognosi. The recent findings on the pathogenesis of certain glomerulopathies have led to new therapies, which have shown quite positive results in studies of smaller patient groups. New therapeutical approaches have been reported in particular for the following diseases: focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, idiopathic membranous nephropathy, membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis type 2 (dense deposit disease), IgA nephropathy and atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS). In particular, rituximab or eculizumab represent interesting therapeutic options in some of these entities. Recurrence of glomerulonephritis - after allograft rejection and death with a functioning organ - is the third most common cause of kidney transplant failure. Overall, patients transplanted because of glomerular diseases have a longterm allograft survival comparable to patients suffering from other primary renal disorders. Nevertheless, a recent investigation showed a slightly worse long-term renal transplant survival in patients with a glomerulonephritis as the primary kidney disease. It is important to state that glomerulonephritis as the primary renal disorder does not represent a contraindication for kidney transplantation, including living kidney donation.