Hepatitis B virus, cirrhosis and primary carcinoma of the liver. An electron microscopic study.

The core and coat of hepatitis B virus were found by electron microscopy in parenchymal cells of a liver biopsy from a 61 year old man with chronic active hepatitis and cirrhosis of the liver. Laparoscopy, 35 days after liver biopsy, and autopsy 42 days later confirmed the cirrhosis and showed in addition a well differentiated hepatoma. The possibility of a viral aetiology for the cirrhosis and primary carcinoma of the liver is considered.