Liver orcein stain and viral DNA in duck hepatitis B virus infection in Chinese ducks and experimentally infected Japanese ducklings.
Liver sections were stained with orcein, and duck hepatitis B virus was identified in sera and livers by the hybridization technique in 106 ducks (44 Chinese ducks, 15 Japanese ducks and 47 Japanese ducklings). Orcein-positive hepatocytes were found in 18 of 38 (47%) duck hepatitis B virus DNA seropositive ducks, and only in 3 of 68 (4%) seronegative ducks. The three ducks were all from a heavily infected flock in southern China. Serial analyses of viral DNA by Southern blot and spot hybridizations in experimentally infected Japanese ducklings revealed a dissociation or a time gap between the amount of viral DNA in serum and the emergence of orcein positive hepatocytes. Orcein-positive hepatocytes were generally associated with prolonged presence of viral infection for at least 4 to 6 months. These findings support the clinical hypothesis that the presence of orcein-positive hepatocytes indicates persistent rather than acute infection. Since orcein-positive hepatocytes have been seen in infection with hepatitis B, woodchuck hepatitis, ground squirrel and duck hepatitis B viruses, accumulation of orcein-positive material in liver cells may be one of the common properties these viruses share. This stain may be utilized for screening new hepatitis B virus-like viruses.
D000818:Animals; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D004372:Ducks / Q000382:microbiology*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008099:Liver / Q000032:analysis / Q000473:pathology*; D008392:Marmota; D010078:Oxazines; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D013194:Staining and Labeling
D004279:DNA, Viral; D010078:Oxazines; C002313:PAcein