| Literature DB >> 10677515 |
X Hu1, H S Margolis, R H Purcell, J Ebert, B H Robertson.
Abstract
Hepatitis B viruses (HBV) and related viruses, classified in the Hepadnaviridae family, are found in a wide variety of mammals and birds. Although the chimpanzee has been the primary experimental model of HBV infection, this species has not been considered a natural host for the virus. Retrospective analysis of 13 predominantly wild-caught chimpanzees with chronic HBV infection identified a unique chimpanzee HBV strain in 11 animals. Nucleotide and derived amino acid analysis of the complete HBV genome and the gene coding for the hepatitis B surface antigen (S gene) identified sequence patterns that could be used to reliably identify chimpanzee HBV. This analysis indicated that chimpanzee HBV is distinct from known human HBV genotypes and is closely related to HBVs previously isolated from a chimpanzee, gibbons, gorillas, and orangutans.Entities:
Mesh:
Substances:
Year: 2000 PMID: 10677515 PMCID: PMC26492 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.97.4.1661
Source DB: PubMed Journal: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A ISSN: 0027-8424 Impact factor: 11.205