Membraneous glomerulonephritis induced by HB (Australia) antigen-antibody complexes

The authors report a case of chronic aggressive hepatitis associated with persisting HBs (Australia) antigenaemic nephrosis. The disease proved to be membranous glomerulonephritis. Immune fluorescence revealed granular type IgG, IgM, C3 and HBs antigen deposits along the glomerular basement membrane. The IgA deposit was partly linear, partly granular. Subepithelial deposits were noted by electron microscopy along the glomerular basement membrane. It is supposed that the deposition in the glomeruli of HBs antigen-antibody immune complex was responsible for the diffuse membraneous glomerulonephritis.