[Renal disease with glomerular involvement during Brucella infection (author's transl)]

Renal involvement during Brucella infections has been known for several years, and its real frequency appears to be higher than initially suspected. This case report deals with a patient with positive blood cultures and seroagglutination to Brucella mellitensis who presented transitory renal failure, proteinuria, and macroscopic hematuria. Renal histopathology disclosed the existence of acute tubular necrosis, and the immunofluorescence study revealed the presence of mesangial deposits of immunoglobulins and complement. Electron microscopy demonstrated the presence of electron-dense paramesangial deposits. These data suggest that immunological mechanisms are implicated in the glomerular involvement of Brucella infections.