Different outcomes of chronic hepatitis delta virus infection in woodchucks

U Schlipköter, A Ponzetto, K Fuchs, R Rasshofer… - Liver, 1990 - Wiley Online Library
U Schlipköter, A Ponzetto, K Fuchs, R Rasshofer, SS Choi, S Roos, M Rapicetta…
Liver, 1990Wiley Online Library
Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) superinfection of woodchuck chronic carriers of woodchuck
hepatitis virus (WHV) results in acute and chronic disease. The different courses of disease
mimicked the outcome of human HDV superinfection, making woodchucks valuable models
for clinical studies of HDV. Ten of 11 woodchuck chronic carriers of WHV superinfected with
HDV developed acute HDV infection with markers of viral replication in the serum and liver.
One animal (DW128) had no serological markers of acute HDV infection. Nine of 11 (82%) …
Abstract
Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) superinfection of woodchuck chronic carriers of woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) results in acute and chronic disease. The different courses of disease mimicked the outcome of human HDV superinfection, making woodchucks valuable models for clinical studies of HDV. Ten of 11 woodchuck chronic carriers of WHV superinfected with HDV developed acute HDV infection with markers of viral replication in the serum and liver. One animal (DW128) had no serological markers of acute HDV infection. Nine of 11 (82%) superinfected animals developed chronic HDV infection. An unusual course of chronic HDV infection occurred in one woodchuck (DW128): no serum markers of acute or chronic HDV infection appeared but HDV RNA was detected in the liver, indicating that chronic HDV infection can occur without serological markers.
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