Hemochromatosis

Hemochromatosis is a human disease where there is excessive accumulation of body iron in organs such as liver, pancreas and skin. This genetic disorder is inherited as an autosomal recessive, and results in cirrhosis of the liver, diabetes mellitus and skin pigmentation. Hemochromatosis may also result from secondary causes, e.g., in patients with hemolytic anemias, such as thalassemias, and can also result in cirrhosis of the liver and diabetes. Hemochromatosis and has not been described as a disease entity in non-human primates, except in ruffed lemurs. Hemosiderosis has been observed in liver samples from chimpanzees with chronic hepatitis C infections. Although storage of iron has been observed in liver hepatocytes in older chimpanzees, resulting disease has not been described.