SUMMARY The aim of this study was to characterise human intestinal macrophages in normal and inflamed ileum and colon. Immunoperoxidase staining with a panel of monoclonal antibodies and histochemical staining for acid phosphatase and non-specific esterase was performed. In the superficial lamina propria, normal colonic macrophages were larger and more strongly positive for acid phosphatase and non-specific esterase than those in normal terminal ileum. There were more macrophages staining with monoclonal antibody RFD1 in the superficial lamina propria of the latter. Studies in inflammatory bowel disease tissue showed the presence of macrophages staining with monoclonal antibodies RFD9 and 3G8 which were rarely present in normal tissue and represented a different pattern from that seen in infectious colitis.

Saudi Arabia appears to have an unusually high incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma, which has been causally associated with a high prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV). Other risk factors, including hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are currently not known. A study was undertaken to establish the risk factors and clinicopathological features of hepatocellular carcinoma in Saudi Arabia. The profiles of 140 patients with a biopsy-proven hepatocellular carcinoma were analyzed. Demographic data revealed a strong male preponderance (male:female = 5.7:1) and 114 patients (81.4%) were found to have or have had HBV infection. The data concerning HCV infection were incomplete, but suggest a causal association (nine of 33 patients). An absence of alcohol as a risk factor was noteworthy. Clinical jaundice and right upper quadrant abdominal pain were the most frequent presenting features. Abnormal liver function tests were present in 125 patients (89.3%) at diagnosis and serum alpha fetoprotein was elevated in 112 patients (80%). The majority of patients had locally advanced, inoperable disease and the prognosis was uniformly dismal. The median survival was 61 days.

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