Liver morphology in marmosets infected with epidemic non-A, non-B hepatitis in India

In this study the morphological changes in the livers of marmosets inoculated with stool extracts from epidemic non-A, non-B hepatitis patients in India were examined. The histologic changes of epidemic non-A, non-B hepatitis in marmosets consisted mainly of round cell infiltration in the portal tracts, spotty liver cell necrosis, sinusoidal lymphocyte infiltration, and Kupffer cell mobilization. By electron microscopy, liver cells from infected marmosets showed cisternal dilation of the endoplasmic reticulum, irregularly-shaped nucleus, and disorganization of the mitochondrial cristae. In some areas interaction of lymphocytes with hepatocytes was observed. Similar observations have been made in type B hepatitis infection, presumably due to liver cell damage mediated by immune mechanisms. The result of our study is also compatible with the interpretation that the liver cell damage in this experimental model may be mediated by immune mechanisms.