Immune complexes in children with different forms of glomerulonephritis.

The occurrence of circulating immune complexes was tested in 43 children with different forms of glomerulonephritis (GN). The presence of immune complexes was demonstrated in sera of 6 out of 10 patients with GN of hepatitis B etiology, in 6 out of 11 patients with GN of bacterial etiology, and in 3 out of 10 patients with GN of unknown etiology. Immune complexes were not found in sera of 3 patients with Schönlein-Henoch disease, in 6 patients with lipoid nephrosis, and in 3 patients with GN and hepatitis B as a coexisting infection. In a patient with membrane-capillary GN which appeared after infection with hepatitis B virus we demonstrated immune complexes of M.W. 4.0 X 10(6) and 7.5 X 10(5).