An 18-year-old girl is described who developed advanced renal sclerotic lesions, probably preceded by local focal glomerulonephritis, which coexisted with a Staphylococcus aureus abscess. It is hypothesized that immune complex glomerulonephritis developed, provoked by long-term antigenic stimulation of Staphylococcus aureus. The cause of these long-term bacterial infections was a defect of the phagocytic cells to kill bacteria effectively, a disease known as chronic granulomatous disease. Therapy with intracellularly active antimicrobial agents restored the renal function till no more haemodialysis was necessary.