[Nephrotic syndrome associated with congenital syphilis (author's transl)]

Clinical and renal morphologic studies are reported in a 3 1/2 month old infant with congenital syphilis and nephrotic syndrome. Renal lesions were consistent with membranous proliferative glomerulonephritis, and the presence of glomerular deposits of IgM, C3, and of less intensity of IgE and fibrin, were demonstrated by means of immunofluorescence. These findings identify the renal lesion as an immune glomerulopathy. A therapeutic course of penicillin resulted in resolution of clinical manifestations without any evidence of persistent renal damage.