Cellular basis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in horses.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an inflammatory obstructive disease of the airways characterized with hypersensitivity of the airway tissues to various allergens, most commonly the fungi contained in the poor-quality hay and straw bedding-Saccharopolyspora rectivirgula, Aspergillus fumigatus, and Thermoactinomyces vulgaris. It is manifested clinically in middle-aged horses with recurrent episodes of dyspnea, chronic cough, and their reduced athletic and working capacity. Pulmonary emphysema and lack of pulmonary collapse are the most common gross lesion.

[A histologic variant of autoimmune hepatitis with zonal necrosis].

Autoimmune hepatitis type 1 in a 8-year old girl is described. The diagnosis was established using International Autoimmune hepatitis group scoring system. In addition to characteristic histologic features of autoimmune hepatitis (periportal hepatitis, piecemeal necrosis and rozettes) prominent centrilobular necrosis was discovered.