A new hypothesis about the pathogenesis of chronic glomerulonephritis

Extensive trials have been done to find a relationship between chronic glomerulonephritis and streptococcal tonsillitis. Serological, epidemiological and other studies failed to prove this relationship in the majority of instances. We have observed that definite evidence of pyelonephritis, with disparity between the function of both kidneys and bacteriuria, was present in a large number of the cases diagnosed histologically of the kidney can lead to a proliferative glomerulopathy. We suggest that previous haematogenous renal parenchymal infection or pyelonephritis is responsible for the glomerulopathy of many of the cases diagnosed as chronic glomerulonephritis of unknown etiology or presumably related to streptococcal tonsillitis or the so-called subclinical acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis.