Hoofnagle J H, Schafer D F, Ferenci P, Waggoner J G, Vergalla J, April M, Phillips L
Gastroenterology. 1983 Jun;84(6):1478-82.
The hepatitis B virus infects only humans and higher apes. Viruses similar to the human hepatitis B virus (hepadna viruses) have been discovered in several nonprimate species including woodchucks, ground squirrels, and domesticated ducks. To search for other models of hepatitis B virus infection, we screened serum specimens from 64 exotic animals (24 species), 56 domesticated animals (6 species), and 52 laboratory animals (3 species). Samples were tested for deoxyribonucleic acid polymerase by enzymatic assay and for hepatitis B surface antigen and antibody and antibody to hepatitis B core antigen by radioimmunoassays. All sera were negative for deoxyribonucleic acid polymerase, hepatitis B surface antigen, and antibody to hepatis B core antigen suggesting that none of these animals harbored hepadna viruses in serum. However, 48% of the sera from 58% of the 33 species were reactive for antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen. This reactivity was blocked by human serum positive for hepatitis B surface antigen but not by control human serum. The antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen was generally present in low titer (95% were less than or equal to 1:16) and was often directed against subdeterminants of hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-d, anti-y, or anti-w). Characterization of the antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen by gel chromatography, sucrose density ultracentrifugation, affinity chromatography, and chemical inactivation suggested that it was entirely or predominantly immunoglobulin M antibody. Thus, many animals species have naturally occurring immunoglobulin M antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen detectable by radioimmunoassay. This antibody could arise as a result of either the intermittent spontaneous maturation of clones of antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen forming lymphocytes or exposure to environmental antigens that share epitopes with hepatitis B surface antigen. Similar naturally occurring antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen may be present in some humans.
乙型肝炎病毒仅感染人类和高等猿类。在包括土拨鼠、地松鼠和家鸭在内的几种非灵长类动物中发现了与人类乙型肝炎病毒相似的病毒（嗜肝DNA病毒）。为了寻找其他乙型肝炎病毒感染模型，我们筛选了来自64种外来动物（24个物种）、56种家养动物（6个物种）和52种实验动物（3个物种）的血清标本。通过酶法检测样本中的脱氧核糖核酸聚合酶，并通过放射免疫测定法检测乙型肝炎表面抗原、抗体以及乙型肝炎核心抗原抗体。所有血清的脱氧核糖核酸聚合酶、乙型肝炎表面抗原和乙型肝炎核心抗原抗体均为阴性，这表明这些动物血清中均未携带嗜肝DNA病毒。然而，来自33个物种中58%的58份血清对乙型肝炎表面抗原抗体呈阳性反应。这种反应性可被乙型肝炎表面抗原阳性的人血清阻断，但不能被对照人血清阻断。乙型肝炎表面抗原抗体通常滴度较低（95%小于或等于1:16），且常针对乙型肝炎表面抗原的亚决定簇（抗-d、抗-y或抗-w）。通过凝胶色谱、蔗糖密度超速离心、亲和色谱和化学灭活对乙型肝炎表面抗原抗体进行表征，结果表明其完全或主要为免疫球蛋白M抗体。因此，许多动物物种具有可通过放射免疫测定法检测到的天然存在的针对乙型肝炎表面抗原的免疫球蛋白M抗体。这种抗体可能是由于乙型肝炎表面抗原形成淋巴细胞的抗体克隆间歇性自发成熟，或者是由于接触了与乙型肝炎表面抗原具有共同表位的环境抗原而产生的。类似的针对乙型肝炎表面抗原的天然存在抗体可能在一些人中也有存在。
