Glomerular disease is common in tropical regions and may complicate many locally prevalent infections by a variety of mechanisms. In areas where HIV and malaria are common, these may be factors predisposing to renal disease. Primary glomerulonephritis also occurs in these regions, and the nature of the renal lesion can only reliably be determined if renal biopsy and expert histologic analysis are available. Assistance to the developing world in provision of these skills and resources is a major priority for the International Society of Nephrology. This article highlights some general principles regarding glomerular disease in the developing world, illustrated by the author's experience in rural Uganda.