ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the pathological changes of the liver tissues of patients with HIV infection.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>14 biopsy and 12 autopsy liver tissues were examined histologically. HIV-1 related antigen of outer membrane protein gp120 and capsid protein p24 were examined with their corresponding monoclonal antibodies by immunohistochemistry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the biopsy group, cytomegalic virus (CMV) infection was found in one (1/14) case, outer membrane protein gp120 and/or capsid protein p24 antigen were detected in Kupffer cells and in some of the lymphocytes in 11 cases. All the hepatocytes were negative for outer membrane protein gp120 and capsid protein p24 antigens. In the autopsy group, there were 5 (5/12) cases of liver tissues with CMV infection and 5 cases each with mycobacterium and Toxoplasma gondii infection. Capsid protein p24 was detected in liver tissues in 3 cases.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>There is HIV infection in liver tissue of patients with HIV. The rate of opportunistic infections in liver biopsy samples was lower than that in the autopsy liver tissues of patients with HIV.</p>