CRESCENTIC GLOMERULONEPHRITIS DUE TO RIFAMPIN TREATMENT IN A PATIENT WITH PULMONARY ATYPICAL MYCOBACTERIOSIS

A 64-year-old male was treated continuously with rifampin, isoniazid a nd streptomycin for pulmonary atypical mycobacteriosis, Mycobacterium kansasii. Five weeks after beginning the treatment, the patient sudden ly developed acute renal failure. A renal biopsy showed crescentic les ions characteristic of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis with mod erate interstitial changes. Serum antirifampin antibody was detected, and the cessation of rifampin treatment was followed by a rapid sponta neous recovery of the patient's renal function. This is, to our knowle dge, the first case of rapidly progressive crescentic glomerulonephrit is associated with rifampin treatment where circulating antirifampin a ntibody is demonstrated and the renal function spontaneously improved after discontinuing rifampin treatment.