Focal mesangial-sclerosing glomerulonephritis and acute-spontaneous infectious canine hepatitis: structural, immunohistochemical and subcellular studies

The glomerular alterations observed in a dog with acute spontaneous infectious canine hepatitis (ICH) are described. Histologic changes of the glomeruli were enlargement of the mesangium with presence of intranuclear inclusion bodies and without proliferation of mesangial cells. Electron microscopy revealed adenovirus replication sites in glomerular mesangial cells and in endothelial cells of glomerular capillaries, as well as a focal mesangial-sclerosing glomerulonephritis associated with electron dense deposits which were closely related with extracellular ICH viral particles and immunohistochemically reactive for immunoglobulin (Ig) G, IgA, IgM and C3c complement components.