FULMINANT TYPE A VIRAL HEPATITIS IN A CHIMPANZEE

摘要

A case of a chimpanzee with fulminant hepatitis caused by spontaneous hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection was reported. The liver at autopsy revealed massive liver cell necrosis with mononuclear and polymorphonuclear cell infiltration. Aggregation of HAV‐like particles (22–25 nm in diameter) were found within the vesicles of hepatocytes under the electron microscope. Immunofluorescent examination of the liver showed positive staining for HAV antigen, C1q, C3, C4, immunoglobulin M (IgM), and immunoglobulin G (IgG) in the hepatocytes and/or Kupffer cells in a granular fashion. The anti‐HAV antibody (IgM type) and circulating immune complexes were detected in the postmortem serum. The present study suggests the possibility that the deposition of immune complexes of HAV and anti‐HAV antibody in the liver cell plays an important role in the pathogenesis of massive liver cell necrosis in fulminant type A viral he