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Pathology of AIDS-related liver disease

J H Lefkowitch1

  • 1Department of Pathology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032.

Hepatomegaly and abnormalities of serum liver tests are common problems in patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome. Opportunist infections (Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare and cytomegalovirus) and neoplasms (lymphoma, Kaposi's sarcoma) are among the most prevalent hepatic lesions in AIDS. Although Kupffer cells and endothelial cells are potential sites of human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) infection, current studies do not indicate that the liver is a major reservoir for this virus. Drug hepatotoxicity, multimicrobial infections of the biliary tree resembling sclerosing cholangitis and a variety of nonspecific hepatic changes should be considered in evaluating AIDS patients or HIV-1-infected patients with evidence of liver dysfunction.

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