Glomerulosi tossica in febbre gialla

Abstract

The present study is based on autopsic study of 70 fatal cases of yellow fever during the epidemic of
1952-53 in Costa Rica. Material was fixed in for­ maldehyde, Zenker's fluid, alcohol, and mercuric chloride solutions. The follow­ing stains were used in series: hematoxylin-eosin, Mallory, Van Gieson, Weigert (elastic fibers, fibrin) , Gallego, Feulgen, congo red, methyl violet, anilin blue, May-Gruenwald-Giemsa, Sudan III, and silver impregnation for reticulum. Observations revealed glomerular alterations produced in the course of yellow fever with hepato-renal syndrome, consisting of glomerulosic, Schiff­ positive transformation of the basal membrane or lamina densa, causing an altered permeability to proteins with infiltration (proteinuria) and establish­ment of an acute nefrosic syndrome. Such glomerulosic lesions are difficult to observe with hematoxylin-eosin alone, for which reason it has been held hitherto that the glomerulus is not affected in the hepato-renal syndrome.