[Glomerulonephritis following snake bite]

Abstract

A snake bite may quite frequently lead to haemorrhagic symptoms ranging from hypofibrinogenaemia to disseminated intravascular coagulation. In rare cases acute renal insufficiency associated with tubular necrosis may occur due to a direct toxic lesion, shock symptoms or DIC. However, it is extremely rare that glomerulonephritis results from a snake bite. A thirteen-year-old girl develops gross haematuria, albuminuria and cylindruria without any shock symptoms two days after having been bitten by a European viper. Coagulation state and complement show slight changes, and the histological examination reveals proliferative nephritis with deposition of immune complexes. The clinical picture corresponds to recurrent haematuria; renal function is normal after follow-ups over a one-year-period.