ADENOVIRUS-INDUCED LIVER NECROSIS IN A CASE OF AIDS

Adenovirus-induced liver necrosis is rare. Before the era of AIDS (acq uired immunodeficiency syndrome) this entity was seen predominantly in infants suffering from inborn immunodeficiency syndromes or from iatr ogenic immunosuppression because of bone marrow or liver transplantati on. Here, we report a case of a 30-year-old woman with AIDS who develo ped fever and rapidly progressing liver failure. A frozen section from a needle biopsy of the liver allowed a quick diagnosis of viral liver necrosis. The light-microscopic and electron microscopic aspects were typical of adenovirus infection and should be known to the surgical p athologist. The diagnosis was confirmed by immunohistochemistry and DN A hybridization analysis.