PATHways - American College of Veterinary Pathologists

V o l u m e 3 , I s s u e 2 P a g e 11
Case Report
The case of the milk-spotted liver, Continued…….
Microscopic description: Multifocally, within sections of liver, bile ducts were
markedly ectatic and contained cross-sections of adult nematodes measuring approximately
1 mm in diameter. These nematodes contained a thick cuticle measuring approximately
15 microns and an underlying hypodermis. They had coelomyarianpolymyarian
musculature and prominent lateral cords. There were variable amounts of
pseudocoelomic membranes connecting the intestine and sarcoplasm of the musculature
and lateral cords. The large digestive tract was composed of uninucleate ciliated
columnar epithelial cells. Nematodes were variably surrounded by lakes of fibrin, various
combinations and concentrations of neutrophils and eosinophils, and basophilic
streaming cellular (nuclear) debris. Many bile ducts were lined by markedly hypertrophic
epithelium and were surrounded by a thick rim of fibrosis and lymphoplasmacytic
inflammation. In these areas, there was also prominent bile duct hyperplasia
and occasional lymphatic dilatation. There was no microscopic evidence of parasitic
disease in other organs.
Periductular
inflammation
Liver
Bile ducts
Lobule
Periductular
fibrosis
Periparasitic cellular
reaction
Arteriole
Nematode in cross-section.