Liver Pathology Flashcards
______ is a general term referring to inflammation of the liver
Hepatitis
What are causes of hepatitis?
- infectious: viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic organisms; or
- noninfectious: e.g., alcohol, drugs, autoimmune diseases, and metabolic diseases.
What can the term viral hepatitis describe?
either a clinical illness or the histologic findings associated with the disease
What specific viruses can cause viral hepatitis? (5)
1) hepatitis A virus (HAV)
2) hepatitis B virus (HBV)
3) hepatitis C virus (HCV)
4) hepatitis D virus (delta agent) (HDV)
5) hepatitis E virus (HEV)
U.S. viral hepatitis is most commonly caused by what?
HAV, HBV and HCV
(can all result in acute (viral) hepatitis)
Acute infection with HBV and HCV can lead to ______ (viral) hepatitis.
Patients who are chronically infected may go on to develop _______ and ________
- chronic
- cirrhosis
- hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)
Hepatitis A is transmitted by what?
a picornavirus, hepatitis A virus (HAV)
_____ does not cause chronic hepatitis
HAV
______ the most common cause of viral hepatitis worldwide
Hepatitis A
How is Hepatitis A transmitted?
- fecal-oral route, from person to person
- spread by ingestion of contaminated water and food
A major clinical finding in Hepatitis A is that _______ occurs in > 70% of patients
Jaundice (icterus)
What are serologic markers for hepatitis A?
- IgM antibody against HAV appears in blood at the onset of symptoms and is a reliable marker of acute infection
With hepatitis A, the IgM response usually declines in a few months followed by the appearance of _____ anti-HAV that persists for years, often conferring ______ immunity
- IgG
- lifelong
What is Hepatitis B?
an acute infection of the liver parenchymal cells caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV)
What are outcomes of HBV infections? (5)
1) acute hepatitis with recovery and clearance of the virus
2) nonprogressive chronic hepatitis
3) progressive chronic disease ending in cirrhosis
4) fulminant hepatitis with massive liver necrosis
5) an asymptomatic “healthy” carrier state (persistence of hepatitis B surface antigen).
HBV-induced chronic liver disease is also an important risk factor for the development of _______
hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)
Hepatitis B is caused by HBV, a hepadnavirus, and what proteins? (3)
- outer surface coat envelope glycoproteins: hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)
- inner nucleocapsid “core” protein: hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg)
- precore region designated: hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)
Where does HBV exist in people?
exists in the blood and body fluids
What are some ways HBV can be transmitted? (4)
- parenteral route: (needles)
- perinatal transmission
- contact of HBV infectious material with mucous membranes and open skin breaks
- oral intake of HBV infectious material may result in infection
In the US, Hepatitis B transmission is mainly ________
horizontal
What is the best predictor of chronic hepatitis B infection?
Patient age at the time of infection
Massive liver necrosis is a rare finding that may occur with Hepatitis B. When does an individual have the highest risk for this?
highest risk is in patients coinfected with hepatitis D
When does the serological marker HBsAg appear in Hepatitis B?
HBsAg before the onset of symptoms, peaks during symptomatic disease, and then usually declines to undetectable levels in 12 weeks
The detection of _____establishes infection with HBV and implies infectivity
HBsAg
______ appears after the acute disease is over and usually is not detected until a few weeks to several months after HBsAg disappears
Antibodies to HBsAg (Anti-HBs)
How long do Antibodies to HBsAg (Anti-HBs) persist in people?
may persist for life and confers protection
What do the serological markers HBeAg and HBV DNA signify in Hepatitis B?
signify ongoing viral replication
Persistence of ______ is an indicator of progression to chronic hepatitis B
HBeAg
The appearance of antibodies to HBeAg (anti-HBe) implies what?
an acute infection has peaked and is on the wane
When do IgM antibodies to HBcAg (IgM anti-HBc) become detectable in serum in Hepatitis B?
before the onset of symptoms, concurrent with the onset of elevated serum aminotransferase levels (indicative of hepatocyte destruction)
Know how to interpret hepatitis B serology results
see picture/chart in notes
What is Hepatitis C?
an acute liver parenchymal infection caused by hepatitis C virus (HCV)
In Hepatitis C, there are at least _____ major genotypes.
What are most common in USA?
- 6
- 1a and 1b are the most common in the U.S.
Most HCV transmission is ______
_______ accounts for most HCV transmission in the U.S
- parenteral
- Injecting-drug use
HCV infection may stimulate production of what?
cytotoxic T-lymphocytes and cytokines (INF-gamma), which probably mediate hepatic necrosis
When do symptoms of Hepatitis C develop?
develop 7 to 8 weeks after infection (range of 2 to 26 weeks), but 70% to 80% of cases are subclinical
What happens to ~ 10 - 20% of patients after acute hepatitis C infection?
they clear the HCV infection and have complete resolution
Progression to chronic HCV infection is ______ and occurs in ~______% of patients
- common
- 80 - 90
chronic HCV infection, ________ may develop and include a variety of immunologic and lymphoproliferative disorders
extrahepatic manifestations / sequelae
15 - 20% of those patients with chronic HCV will develop _______ over a period of 20 to 30 years;
cirrhosis
The serological marker _______ is detectable in blood for 1 to 3 weeks and is coincident with elevations in serum transaminases in hepatitis C
HCV RNA
In symptomatic acute HCV infection, _____ are detected in only 50 - 70% of patients;
anti-HCV antibodies
In chronic HCV infection, circulating _____ persists in ~ 90% of patients despite the presence of neutralizing antibodies
HCV RNA
Why must testing for HCV RNA be done in hepatitis C?
must be done to confirm the diagnosis of chronic HCV infection
What is a characteristic clinical feature of chronic HCV infection
episodic elevations in serum aminotransferases
What is Hepatitis D virus also called
delta agent
What is Hepatitis D Virus dependent on for its life cycle?
dependent for its life cycle on HBV
Coinfection with _______ is associated with higher rates of severe acute hepatitis and fulminant liver failure
HBV and HDV
How is Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) most commonly transmitted?
by the fecal-oral (water-borne infection) route