“Tropical Nephropathy” and “Tropical Extramembranous Glomerulonephritis” of Unknown Aetiology in Senegal

Abstract

A study of renal biopsy specimens obtained in Senegal from 24 children and six adults with the nephrotic syndrome showed two unusual varieties of nephro-pathy—namely, an extramembranous glomerulonephritis associated with hypocomplementaemia (four cases), a combination previously described only in systemic lupus erythematosus, and a “tropical nephropathy” (16 cases). The latter, though lacking the diffuse glomerular deposits of immunoglobulin described in quartan malarial nephropathy (Q.M.N.), showed a curious progressive and segmental glomerulosclerosis, characterized by a “flaking” or fibrillary splitting of the glomerular capillary wall, seen in Q.M.N. Serological evidence of malaria was lacking in a third of the childhood cases. © 1975, British Medical Journal Publishing Group. All rights reserved.