Glomerular capillary endotheliosis in sow kidney

A high incidence of proliferative renal glomerular lesions was found in sows from a breeding herd. All the sows had a very similar lesion, which was characterised by swelling of endothelial cells, with varying degrees of obstruction of the capillary lumina, and an increase in the number of mesangial cells. By differential diagnosis the condition was found to conform most closely with the renal lesion of human pregnancy toxaemia (pre-eclampsia syndrome). It is suggested that this nephropathy may play a part in limiting the useful breeding life of affected sows.