To HAV or not to HAV: Novel hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection in a chimeric mouse model

• Author / Creator

  Pang, Daniel

• Chimpanzees have been previously used to study HAV infection in vivo but they are expensive and difficult to maintain and thus, there is a need for a small animal model. Our aim is to test the susceptibility of the SCID-beige/Alb-uPA mice with chimeric human/mouse livers to HAV infection. Chimeric mice were IV inoculated with HAV and HAV produced fully infectious particles within the serum and feces, by one week post-infection. eHAV circulated the blood of infected chimeric mice consistent with human infections. Due to the lack of an adaptive immune system, HAV caused a persistent infection with a lack of inflammation within the liver. Pre-exposure to neutralizing antibody was fully protective while IFN treatment was able to suppress HAV infection. This study shows that the chimeric mice are permissive to HAV infection and represent a valuable small animal model for future studies.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • SCID-beige/Alb-uPA
  • Hepatitis a virus
  • Small animal model
  • Chimeric mouse model
  • Hcv
  • Hepatitis c virus
  • Hav

• Graduation date

  Fall 2013

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3ZC7S536

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.