Nonsyndromatic paucity of intrahepatic bile ducts in congenital syphilis. A case report.

The first case of nonsyndromatic paucity of the intrahepatic bile ducts is reported in congenital syphilis. The patient, a 2-week-old female, was born at the 31st week of gestation, weighing 1,910 g. She had a high titer of IgM antibody to Treponema pallidum and sera from both parents also showed a positive reaction in the hemagglutination test for Treponema pallidum. The patient had hepatosplenomegaly and increasing jaundice, and died of respiratory failure on the 70th hospital day. Autopsy examination revealed paucity of the intrahepatic bile ducts, prominent giant cell transformation of hepatocytes, cholestasis and extramedullary hematopoiesis of the liver. The ratio of the number of intrahepatic bile ducts to that of the portal tracts was approximately 0.2:1. There was marked proliferation of atypical bile ductules at the margin of the portal tracts. The exact relation of this paucity to Treponema pallidum remains unknown.