Bile Ductular Hyperplasia: Hepatic Cirrhosis

This spontaneous disorder occurs sporadically among laboratory hamsters, reaching a prevalence of up to 20% in some colonies. It occurs in aged animals, particularly females. Grossly, there is uniform nodularity to the capsular surface, with microscopic evidence of periportal fibrosis and bile duct proliferation, analogous to the liver lesion encountered in aging rats. There may also be nodular hepatocellular proliferation with concurrent degeneration, necrosis, and mixed leukocyte infiltration. Helicobacter spp. have been associated with this lesion in hamsters and other laboratory rodents.