The chimpanzee model for hepatitis B virus infection.

Even before the discovery of hepatitis B virus (HBV), it was known that chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) are susceptible to human hepatitis viruses. The chimpanzee is the only primate animal model for HBV infections. Much like HBV-infected human patients, chimpanzees can develop acute and chronic HBV infections and consequent hepatitis. Chimpanzees also develop a cellular immune response similar to that observed in humans. For these reasons, the chimpanzee has proven to be an invaluable model for investigations on HBV-driven disease pathogenesis and also the testing of novel antiviral therapies and prophylactic approaches.