Fulminant tropical hepatitis--experimental reproduction.

After a review of the literature on epidemiological, serological and histopathological data concerning so-called "Amazon Black Fever" (Labrea disease), an experimental model of morphological reproduction of the disease is presented. The model is based on the probable causal synergism of Labrea hepatitis, i.e., viral injury plus protein-caloric malnutrition. Mice infected with the Oriboca arbovirus presented classic yellow-fever-like lesions of the liver, with a few malnourished animals showing the characteristic morular changes of the human disease.