Immune Complex Glomerulonephritis in Patients with Hepatitis C

Abstract

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) may have a pathogenic role in several forms of immune complex glomerulonephritis (ICGN), including cryoglobulinemic membrano-proliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) and membranous nephropathy. HCV infection may also be related indirectly (e.g. secondary to HCV-related liver disease) or coincidentally to glomerulonephritis. These include cases of fibrillary/immunotactoid glomerulopathy, MPGN arising in allografts, allograft glomerulopathy, rapidly progressive glomerulo-nephritis, focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis, and ICGN arising in individuals co-infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This review summarizes the clinical and pathologic features of HCV-associated glomerular disease, particularly immune complex glomerulonephritis, and discusses possible pathogenic mechanisms.

Keywords

• Immune complex
• Glomerular disease
• Pathogenesis.