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A 13-year-old male lion (Panthera leo) from Dae Jeon Zoo, Republic of Korea, presented with clinical signs of lethargy and anorexia. Despite treatment with antibiotics and fluid therapy, the lion died 6 days after initial presentation. Postmortem examination revealed multiple masses measuring 5-10 cm in diameter and cysts throughout the liver. A diagnosis of spontaneous peribiliary cysts was made on the basis of microscopic lesions as well as special staining and immunohistochemical characteristics. Histologically, the neoplasm was surrounded and composed of compact collagenous tissue. The inner cystic single layer resembled biliary mucosa and was composed of cuboidal or flattened epithelial lining that was strongly immunopositive for cytokeratin AE1/AE3. This layer was surrounded by fibrous tissue that stained blue by Masson's trichrome staining. Given the presence of multiple organized cysts in the liver, the lesion was consistent with peribiliary cysts. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of peribiliary cysts in an animal.

Hepatic lesions in nondomestic felids are poorly characterized. The purpose of this study was to evaluate hepatic lesions in 90 captive, nondomestic felids including tigers, cougars, and lions. Hepatic lesions were histologically characterized as vacuolar change (lipidosis or glycogenosis), biliary cysts, biliary hyperplasia, hepatitis, necrosis, neoplasia, fibrosis, veno-occlusive disease, cholestasis, hematoma, congestion, or hemorrhage. Stepwise logistic regression analyses were performed for vacuolar change, benign biliary lesions, hepatitis, lipogranulomas, extramedullary hematopoiesis, and hepatic stellate cell hypertrophy and hyperplasia, with species as the outcome variable. Ninety cats met the inclusion criteria. Seventy livers (78%) contained 1 or more lesions. Hepatocellular vacuolar change (41/90 [46%]) was the most common lesion overall. Extramedullary hematopoiesis, lipogranulomas, and hepatic stellate cell hyperplasia were also common. One snow leopard had veno-occlusive disease. Tigers were more likely than other felids to have no significant hepatic histologic lesions (odds ratio [OR], 12.687; P = .002), and lions were more likely to have biliary cysts (OR, 5.97; P = .021). Six animals (7%) died of hepatic disease: cholangiocellular carcinoma (n = 2) and 1 each of hepatic lipidosis, hepatocellular necrosis, pyogranulomatous hepatitis, and suppurative cholecystitis. Hepatocellular iron and copper accumulations were present in 72 of 90 (80%) and 10 of 90 (11%) sections, respectively. Sinusoidal fibrosis was common (74/90 [82%]) and primarily centrilobular (65/74 [88%]). Hepatocellular iron, copper, and fibrosis were not significantly associated with hepatic lesions. Primary hepatic disease was not a common cause of death in nondomestic felids in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article focuses on a study which described the case of a 19-year-old male lion, Panthera leo, with polycystic lesions in liver and kidney. The animal in question had a history of inappetence and progressing hind limb weakness which was euthanized due to worsening of clinical signs despite treatment with antibiotics, cortisone and analgesics. Necropsy was performed with tissue samples routinely processed for histopathological examination. Histological examination revealed multiple cysts in the liver and kidney. Also, a marked biliary hyperplasia and portal fibrosis was found.