title: Serological analysis of duck hepatitis B virus infection.
abstract: A radioimmunoassay was developed to detect duck hepatitis B virus surface antigen and antibody; viraemia (DHBV DNA or DHBsAg) was detected in all ducks inoculated within 3 weeks post-hatch, and persistent infection developed in 93% of birds in this group. In contrast, only 80% and 60% of ducks inoculated 4- and 6-weeks post-hatch respectively developed viraemia, and approximately 70% of the viraemic ducks became carriers. Markers of viraemia were undetected in ducks inoculated 8 weeks post-hatch and in uninfected controls. A typical anti-DHBs seroconversion developed subsequently in 2 of 4 birds that showed transient viraemia, and antibody also developed in 3 of 7 ducks inoculated 4-8 weeks post-hatch that showed no viraemia. However, gene amplification by the polymerase chain reaction demonstrated DHBV DNA in ducks from the latter group suggesting that the antibody did not result from passive vaccination. Thus, increased resistance to infection develops with increasing age that may be related to several factors including host immunity. This model may help elucidate similar age-related features of human hepatitis B virus infections.
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Virology, Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science, Adelaide, Australia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Gowans
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Jilbert
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Burrell
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000097:blood; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D001483:Base Sequence; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D004372:Ducks; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D015611:Hepatitis B Virus, Duck / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006524:Hepatitis, Viral, Animal / Q000276:immunology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D011817:Rabbits; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D014766:Viremia / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000954:Antigens, Surface; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies