title: New enzyme immunoassays for the serologic detection of woodchuck hepatitis virus infection.
abstract: The woodchuck and the woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) have been used as a model of hepatitis B virus infection and its disease sequelas. Serologic responses to WHV infection have been described in previous reports from this laboratory by using virus-specific radioimmunoassays (RIAs) for WHV surface antigen, antibody to WHV core antigen, and antibody to WHsAg. In this study, we developed and evaluated new enzyme immunoassays (EIAs) for these WHV serologic markers. Relative to the established RIAs, the EIAs were either improved or comparable in their sensitivity and specificity, and in their utility for monitoring experimental WHV infection and classifying woodchucks into serological diagnostic categories. These EIA systems are amenable to the quantitative titration of antibodies and quantitation of WHV antigens in serum, and ultimately should allow improved resolution of virologic and humoral immune responses of woodchucks to WHV infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Rockville, Maryland.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Cote
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Roneker
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cass
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schödel
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tennant
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Noronha
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gerin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D017919:Hepatitis B Virus, Woodchuck / Q000276:immunology*; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008392:Marmota; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies