Siderosis in Kenya: A histopathological study of the liver

Abstract

A histopathological study of liver lesions of Bantu siderosis in Kenya was carried out. Hepatic siderosis of varying degrees was present in 46% of the series of 74 liver specimens obtained from 51 male and 23 female post-mortem subjects. Iron confined to the hepatocytes was usually present in periportal areas. However, iron in Kupffer cells was shown diffusely in the lobules. No evidence of fibrogenic effects of iron to liver tissue was noted in this study. In the proliferative lesions such as nodular hyperplasia and regenerative nodules in cirrhosis of the liver, iron deposits are less marked than surrounding liver tissue. Hepatocellular carcinoma nests were absolutely free of iron deposits. There was a correlation between iron deposits in Kupffer cells and the spleen in its incidence and degree. It is considered that Bantu siderosis is not uncommon in Kenya and above findings are similar essentially to those of the Bantu of Southern Africa described so far. © 1979, The Japan Society of Hepatology. All rights reserved.