Which renal disease in adults commonly follows a respiratory infection?

IgA nephropathy, also known as Berger's disease, is a common renal disease in adults that can be triggered by respiratory infections. The condition is characterized by the deposition of IgA antibodies in the glomeruli, which can lead to inflammation and damage. After an upper respiratory infection, individuals may experience hematuria (blood in urine) and proteinuria, signaling the onset of this condition.

This association is particularly significant because the timing of the renal symptoms often coincides with the respiratory illness, suggesting a reactive process in which the immune response to the infection may lead to glomerular injury. The pathophysiology involves hyperproduction of IgA, along with its complex formation with other proteins, which subsequently deposit in the kidneys, causing local inflammation and damage.

While minimal change disease and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis are also renal conditions, they do not typically follow respiratory infections as a common precipitating factor. Acute kidney injury is a broad term that can arise from numerous acute processes including trauma, toxins, or severe dehydration, but does not specifically tie to respiratory infections in the same way that IgA nephropathy does.