Pathological study of liver disease in woodchucks

Abstract

The livers of 40 Wild woodchucks were examined pathologically. In woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV)-positive 29 animals, all animals had lesions characteristic of viral hepatitis (28 of these had chronic persistent hepatitis occasionally associated With ground-glass hepatocyte and one had chronic active hepatitis) and 26 had Shikata's orcein positive staining. In such cases, formation of filaments, enveloped particles and aggregation of noncoated core particles were found in the cytoplasm of hepatocyte under the electron microscopy. 18 of animals with WHV infection had hepatocellular carcinoma associated with chronic persistent hepatitis and hyperplastic foci of hepatocyte. In addition, 7 animals without hepatocellular carcinoma had also hyperplastic foci.
These hyperplastic foci were considered as potential precursors of hepatocellular carcinoma, and the results suggested that woodchuck hepatoma may develop multicentlic. On the other hand, in WHV negative 11 animals, there were no significant pathological changes. 7 of 40 animals had parasitic infection (6 had C. hepatica and one had T. mustelae) in the liver.