PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES IN HEPATOCYTES IN CHRONIC VIRAL HEPATITIS: A HISTOLOGICAL AND MORPHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS

Chronic viral hepatitis, primarily caused by hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV) viruses, is a persistent inflammatory disease of the liver that continues to pose a global public health burden. The pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis involves complex immune-mediated mechanisms and direct cytopathic effects that lead to progressive structural and functional alterations in hepatocytes. These cellular changes are essential indicators of disease severity, progression, and response to therapy. This study aims to investigate the histological and morphological changes observed in hepatocytes of patients diagnosed with chronic viral hepatitis using conventional staining techniques such as hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) and special stains including Masson's trichrome. A total of 25 liver biopsy samples were obtained from patients with serologically and virologically confirmed HBV and HCV infections. The histopathological evaluation revealed varying degrees of hepatocyte ballooning, hydropic and fatty degeneration, apoptosis, necrosis, and cytoplasmic inclusions, along with portal and lobular inflammatory infiltrates. Fibrotic alterations were also evident, with staging ranging from mild periportal fibrosis to bridging fibrosis. Notably, differences in the extent and pattern of hepatocellular injury were observed between HBV- and HCV-infected individuals. These findings provide insight into the cellular pathology of chronic viral hepatitis and emphasize the value of liver biopsy as a diagnostic and prognostic tool in the clinical management of the disease.