Poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis flare-up in a patient with varicella infection.

A 15-year-old boy with poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis is described. During his recovery from nephritis he acquired varicella, which led to a flare-up of the glomerulonephritis with a transitory increase in blood pressure, body weight, and serum creatinine. We can only speculate on the pathogenetic mechanism of the flare-up. The glomerulonephritis may have been reactivated by immune complexes containing varicella antigens, or the varicella infection may have provoked immunologic changes leading to a new burst of immune complexes containing streptococcal antigens.