In order to know the effect of dexamethasone on the induction of the rabbit viral hepatitis, the pathological changes were observed in the native rabbits, 2 to 6 months old in age, that were injected by dexamethasone and liver emulsion of Angora rabbit naturally infected with viral hepatitis.
The results were summarized as follows:
The native rabbits injected by dexamethasone and liver emulsion were infected with viral hepatitis and died between 2 and 7 days after inoculation. Clinical signs and gross lesions were very similar to those of Angora rabbit naturally occurred, In microscopical findings, the hepatic lesions were characterized by peripheral necrosis of the lobules, and peripheral necrosis of the lobules with fatty changes of hepatic cells was occurred in a few cases. Perivascular lymphocytic infiltration in the central nervous system was observed in some cases, The lesions of the other organs were very similar to those of Angora rabbit naturally occurred. On the other hand, the native rabbits that were injected by only liver emulsion of Angora rabbit naturally infected with viral hepatitis were not infected with the disease except very few cases.
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