Renal Disease: Poststreptococcal Glomerulonephritis

Poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis is a renal disease that is prevalent in third world countries with the disease ranging between “9.5 and 28.5 new cases per 100,000 individuals per year” (Rodriguez-Iturbe et al., 2008). Poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis is regarded as an immune complex disease because glomerular damage results from interactions among antigen-antibody complexes and the complement system. Potential antigens that form the antigen-antibody complex are nephritic plasmin-binding protein, nephritic strain-associated protein and endostreptosin (Stickler, 2003).
Pathophysiology
The theory of injury elucidates the process of the streptococcal antigen reacting with a host antibody, forming a soluble complex that is then deposited sub-endothelial along the basement membrane reacting with the complement system. The complement cascade then encourages phagocytosis and digestive activity at the basement membrane, which directs fragmentation and breakdown consequently leading to characteristic findings for a patient with Poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis (Stickler, 2003).
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