Posttransfusion non-A, non-B hepatitis: physicochemical properties of two distinct agents.

Two separate and distinct episodes of non-A, non-B hepatitis were induced in each of two chimpanzees by two inocula: one containing a chloroform-resistant agent and the other containing a chloroform-sensitive agent. Both agents were recovered from liver tissue and plasma obtained from a single chimpanzee during the acute and chronic phases of infection with a factor VIII concentrate, respectively. The chloroform-resistant agent did not cause unique changes in hepatocytes; in contrast, the chloroform-sensitive agent did induce the formation of cytoplasmic tubules, convoluted endoplasmic reticulum, and dense reticular inclusion bodies. The latter changes are similar in character to those induced in infected cells by some enveloped mammalian RNA viruses.