To investigate the relationship between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infections and the occurrence and development of membranous nephropathy (MN) by studying the expression of EBV and HCMV in renal tissues of patients with MN.

84 patients diagnosed as MN by renal biopsies from January 2011 to December 2012 were included. Nucleic acid in-situ hybridization technology was used to detect EBV and HCMV in kidney tissues. SPSS 16.0 statistical software was applied for analysis.

Compared with idiopathic MN (IMN), patients with atypical MN (AMN) were younger (31.42±14.5 vs 51.08±6.74, t=1.637, P<0.05), had higher proportion of microscopic haematuria (72.2% vs 45.8%, χ²=6.686, P<0.05), and more renal deposits of C1q (79.54% vs 25.0%, χ²=25.063, P﹤0.001), IgA (59.1% vs 35.0%, χ²=4.875, P<0.05) and IgM (79.54% vs 47.5%, χ²=9.372, P<0.05). The patients with IMN and AMN had no statistical differences in expression of EBV in renal tissue (36% vs 25%, χ²=1.266, P>0.05); The expression of HCMV in the kidney tissues of MN was high, and higher in AMN (90% vs 63%, χ²=9.661, P<0.05) than in IMN patients.

The infections of EBV and HCMV in renal tissues may be involved in the pathogenesis of MN.