Acute Post-streptococcal Glomerulonephritis: A Common Renal Disease

Abstract

ACUTE post-streptococcal glomerulone- phritis (APSGN) is the prototype of acute immune complex-mediated glomerulone- phritis that is presenting as acute nephritic syndrome. Acute nephritic syndrome is characterized by the presence of some or all of the following: haematuria, oedema, oliguria, hypertension, circulatory conges- tion and decreased glomerular filtration rate. In APSGN, the source of the antigen which sets off the cascade of events is a nephri- togenic streptococcal infection commonly of the throat or the skin. APSGN is the most common example of post-infectious acute glomerulonephritis; however, other bacte- rial, viral and parasitic agents have been implicated in the pathogenesis of post-in- fectious glomerulonephritis.