[Role of hepatitis B virus infection in chronic glomerulonephritis].

This study included 60 patients suffering from chronic glomerulonephritis (GN), confirmed by punch biopsy of the kidney. HBs antigen (Ag) was found in the sera of 5 patients, whereas anti-HBs and/or anti-HBc antibodies were found in 3 others. Of the 139 subjects carrying HBsAg or anti-HBc antibodies 117 suffered from chronic liver disease and 3 from chronic GN. Of the 11 patients afflicted with chronic GN and one with a hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection 9 had GN with IgA deposits and the other 2 had membranoproliferative GN. The renal tissue of these 11 patients was examined for the presence of HBs. HBc and HBe antigens using monoclonal antibodies. Virus particles were unsuccessfully sought by electron microscopy. It is possible that, in some patients infected with HBV and afflicted with chronic liver disease, the IgA deposits in the glomeruli result from the perturbed liver metabolism.