LIVER-BIOPSY AND THE ETIOLOGIC DIAGNOSIS OF CHRONIC HEPATITIS

The histological features of chronic viral hepatitis differ according to etiological agent and replicative phases. Thus, in chronic HBV hepa titis with a high level of HBV replication the histological lesion is- generally mild. During the seroconversion phase, a lobular lesion ig p resent in the liver biopsy followed by amelioration of the disease. Ch ronic delta hepatitis is very aggressive histologically, progression t o cirrhosis is frequent, and sanded nuclei are often observed in liver biopsies of patients with anti-HIV. In contrast, chronic hepatitis C shows a milder histological picture and immunohistochemical techniques to detect HCV-Ag in the liver tissue should be developed. In summary, the majority of cases of chronic viral hepatitis have distinctive his tological features that may be identified in liver biopsies.