Gram-negative sepsis with acute renal failure. Occurrence from acute glomerulonephritis.

Acute intrinsic renal failure occurred in an adult patient with Escherichia coli septicemia. The clinical course did not include any of the circumstances usually present when acute renal failure complicates Gram-negative sepsis. A renal biopsy showed acute proliferative glomerulonephritis. There was no evidence to support other known causes of acute parenchymal renal failure, such as poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis, subacute bacterial endocarditis, or vasculitis. The patient recovered completely with antibiotic therapy, and renal function returned to normal within two weeks. An immunologic mechanism involving E coli was considered responsible for the acute renal failure.