Necrosis of the liver
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Necrosis of the liver induced by herpesvirus. Herpesvirus invades liver cell nuclei producing nuclear ("ground glass") mildly basophilic inclusions. Infected cells die and show typical nuclear changes such as karyolysis, karyorrhexis and pyknosis. Cells undergoing karyolysis show only vague nuclear contours. Karyorrhexis results in fragmentation of the nucleus ("nuclear dust"). Pyknotic nuclei appear as dense round globules reminiscent of the nuclei of lymphocytes.