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Infectivity titration of a prototype strain of hepatitis E virus in cynomolgus monkeys
Author(s) -
Tsarev Sergei A.,
Tsareva Tatiana S.,
Emerson Suzanne U.,
Yarbough Patrice O.,
Legters Llewellyn J.,
Moskal Thomas,
Purcell Robert H.
Publication year - 1994
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/jmv.1890430207
Subject(s) - infectivity , virology , hepatitis e virus , titer , biology , seroconversion , virus , microbiology and biotechnology , antigen , antibody , immunology , genotype , biochemistry , gene
The infectivity titer of a standard stock of the SAR‐55 strain of hepatitis E virus (HEV) was determined in cynomolgus macaques ( Macaca fas cicularis ) and the effect of dose on the course of the infection was examined by weekly monitoring of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and anti‐HEV levels. Antibody to HEV (anti‐HEV) was measured with ELISAs based on ORF‐2 recombinant antigens consisting of either a 55 kDa region expressed in insect cells or shorter regions expressed as fusion proteins in bacteria. The ELISA based on the 55 kDa antigen was generally more sensitive. The infectivity titer of SAR‐55 was 10 6 cynomolgus 50% infectious doses per gram of feces. The infectivity titer corresponded to the HEV genome titer of the inoculum as determined by reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR). Anti‐HEV IgM was detected in only a portion of the animals that had an anti‐HEV IgG response. Biochemical evidence of hepatitis was most prominent in animals that were inoculated with the higher concentrations of virus and the incubation period to seroconversion was prolonged in animals that received the lower doses. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. This article is a US Government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.