Case Report

Brucella Glomerulonephritis: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Authors: Ihsan Ustun, MD, Levent Ozcakar, MD, Nilufer Arda, MD, Murat Duranay, MD, Emel Bayrak, MD, Kadir Duman, MD, Murat Atabay, MD, Basak Engin Cakal, MD, Kadri Altundag, MD, Serdar Guler, MD

Abstract

The authors present the case of a 17-year-old shepherd who was diagnosed with diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis and diffuse tubulointerstitial nephritis during the course of Brucella infection. The pathogenesis and the mechanism of renal involvement in brucellosis is discussed in light of the pertinent literature.


Key Points


* Brucella is a zoonotic disease with a very wide spectrum of clinical findings.


* Osteoarticular, cutaneous, genitourinary, nervous, respiratory, and hematologic system involvements can be encountered during the course of the infection.


* The nephritis in brucellosis is usually classified as three types: acute interstitial nephritis or pyelonephritis, chronic involvement with granulomas and caseification necrosis, and the renal involvement in association with Brucella endocarditis.

This content is limited to qualifying members.

Existing members, please login first

If you have an existing account please login now to access this article or view purchase options.

Purchase only this article ($25)

Create a free account, then purchase this article to download or access it online for 24 hours.

Purchase an SMJ online subscription ($75)

Create a free account, then purchase a subscription to get complete access to all articles for a full year.

Purchase a membership plan (fees vary)

Premium members can access all articles plus recieve many more benefits. View all membership plans and benefit packages.

References

1.Gur A, Geyik MF, Dikici B, et al. Complications of brucellosis in different age groups: a study of 283 cases in southeastern Anatolia of Turkey. Yonsei Med J 2003;44:33–44.
 
2.Altıparmak MR, Pamuk GE, Pamuk ÖM, et al. Brucella glomerulonephritis: review of the literature and report on the first patient with brucellosis and mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis. Scand J Infect Dis2002;34:477–480.
 
3.Haririan A, Ghadiri G, Broumand B. Brucella glomerulonephritis. Nephrol Dial Transplanf 1993;8:375–376.
 
4.Siegelmann N, Abraham AS, Rudensky B, et al. Brucellosis with nephrotic syndrome, nephritis and IgA nephropathy. Postgrad Med J 1992;68:834–836.
 
5.Nunan TO, Eykyn SJ, Jones NF. Brucellosis with mesangial IgA nephropathy: successful treatment with doxycycline and rifampicin. Br Med J 1984;288:1802.
 
6.Eugene M, Gauvain JB, Roux C, et al. A case of acute brucellosis with membranous glomerulopathy.Clin Nephrol 1987;28:158–159
 
7.Doregatti C, Volpi A, Tarelli LT, et al. Acute glomerulonephritis in human brucellosis. Nephron1985;41:365–366.
 
8.Dunea G, Kark RN, Lannigan R, et al. Brucella nephritis. Ann Intern Med 1969;70:783–790.
 
9.Orte L, Teruel JL, Bellas O, et al. [Brucellosis of the kidney: description of 3 cases]. Rev Clin Esp1979;152:461–464.