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Experimental infection of nonenveloped DNA virus (TTV) in Rhesus monkey
Author(s) -
Luo Kangxian,
Liang Weifang,
He Haitang,
Yang Shouchang,
Wang Yanjun,
Xiao Hong,
Liu Dingxie,
Zhang Lian
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
journal of medical virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1096-9071
pISSN - 0146-6615
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1096-9071(200005)61:1<159::aid-jmv26>3.0.co;2-h
Subject(s) - viremia , virus , virology , feces , biology , dna virus , viral shedding , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , genome , gene
Virus fragments homologous to TTV were detected previously from an enterically transmitted outbreak of non‐A–E hepatitis [Luo et al., 1999]. To test the susceptibility of the Rhesus monkey to this virus and to establish its transmission routes, 6 Rhesus monkeys were inoculated, 3 orally and another 3 intravenously. The inoculum was prepared by extracting and filtering feces collected from a patient during the incubation period identified in the described outbreak. A second group of 3 monkeys was used for the passage study. The feces and blood samples were collected for detection of the virus by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Four animals were subjected to liver biopsies and bile aspiration by open surgery for in situ virus detection. Viremia occurred in 4–7 days after intravenous and 7–10 days after oral inoculation. The virus was excreted in feces a few days after oral infection and simultaneously with viremia after intravenous inoculation. The virus was also detected in bile during the viremic phase. There was a prolonged carrier state with persistent viremia and virus excretion in feces for more than 6 months. Serum transaminase levels were not raised during the infection. The virus was present in both the cytoplasm and nuclei of hepatocytes, but no significant pathology was found. Therefore, the Rhesus monkey is susceptible to TT virus infection, but the virus seems nonpathogenic. Infection of the liver may be established either by oral or parenteral inoculation. The virus may be released from liver into the blood or via bile into feces, so it may be transmitted by both blood and fecal routes. J. Med. Virol. 61:159–164, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.