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ILAR Journal V42(2) 2001
Animal Models of Hepatitis

Introduction
William R. Morton

Estimates of hepatitis infection rates and chronic carrier states are staggering. Of the world's 6 billion people, it is estimated that more than 5.5 billion have been infected with one of the now-identified hepatitis viruses. At the time of this writing, studies indicate that approximately 170 million people have been infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV¹) (Sibal and Samson 2001), and 350 million people are chronic carriers of hepatitis B virus (HBV¹) (Feitelson and Larkin 2001). Hepatitis A alone is believed to have been responsible for infection in more than 5 billion people, and hepatitis E has infected an additional 2 billion individuals (Purcell and Emerson 2001).

Notwithstanding the important progress that has been made in the development of effective vaccines and therapeutic strategies for hepatitis A and B, a growing sense of immediacy exists in the need for more progress, particularly with respect to hepatitis C. First in this issue of ILAR Journal, Louis Sibal and Kurt Samson (Sibal and Samson 2001) present an overview of the critical role the nonhuman primate serves in infectious disease research, including hepatitis B and C. The subsequent articles in the issue focus on current research efforts broadly aimed at the worldwide threat of hepatitis and its significant world health impact. Common themes emphasized repeatedly throughout the issue are the need for a better and more practical small animal model and, expressly, hepatitis C-related research needs.

The chimpanzee, although both endangered in the wild and restricted in its research use, has served hepatitis-related research needs like no other animal species. It has been invaluable as an animal model for hepatitis C vaccine research and therapeutic development efforts. Alfred Prince and Betsy Brotman review the importance and contributions of the chimpanzee in hepatitis B (Prince and Brotman 2001). Doris Strader and Leonard Seeff (Strader and Seeff 2001) present an epidemiological and clinical overview of hepatitis C, and Robert Lanford and colleagues (Lanford et al. 2001) discuss the role of the chimpanzee model for studies of hepatitis C. Michael Gale and Michael Beard (Gale and Beard 2001) discuss clones of HCV and their application to animal models, and Burton Beames and colleagues (Beames et al 2001) describe the use of the tamarin as a good surrogate model for hepatitis C.

Other articles in this issue describe the use of different animal models, which provide novel approaches to hepatitis research needs. Notably, Bud Tennant and John Gerin (Tennant and Gerin 2001) review the role of the woodchuck model and describe how other less utilized species have served in hepatitis B infection studies. Mark Feitelson and Jonathan Larkin (Feitelson and Larkin 2001) present original work that has utilized new approaches with transgenic mouse models. Feitelson and Larkin additionally point out that the tree shrew (Tupaia) has recently been reported to have been successfully infected with HBV and HCV and, although relatively uncharacterized as a model, may hold promise for corresponding future research focus and effort. An important concluding article in the issue is the review by Robert Purcell and Suzanne Emerson of animal models in hepatitis A and E research (Purcell and Emerson 2001).

It is the collective hope of this issue's editors and authors that information contained herein will benefit others in pursuing the many critical models of nonhuman primate, and particularly hepatitis, research. We trust that these articles will serve in some small way toward the development and utilization of effective infectious and pathogenic small animal models for vaccine and therapeutic resources.

¹Abbreviations used in this article: HBV, hepatitis B virus; HCV, hepatitis C virus.

References

Beames B, Chavez D, Lanford RE. 2001. GB virus B as a model for hepatitis C virus. ILAR J 42:152-160.

Feitelson MA, Larkin JD. 2001. New animal models of hepatitis B and C. ILAR J 42:127-138.

Gale M Jr, Beard MR. 2001. Molecular clones of hepatitis C virus: Applications to animal models. ILAR J 42:139-151.

Gerin JL. 2001. Animal models of hepatitis delta virus infection and disease. ILAR J 42:103-106.

Lanford RE, Bigger C, Bassett S, Klimpel G. 2001. The chimpanzee model of hepatitis C virus infections. ILAR J 42:117-126.

Prince AM, Brotman B. 2001. Perspectives of hepatitis B studies with chimpanzees. ILAR J 42:85-88.

Purcell RH, Emerson SU. 2001. Animal models of hepatitis A and E. ILAR J 42:161-177.

Sibal LR, Samson KJ. 2001. Nonhuman primates: A critical role in current disease research. ILAR J 42:74-84.

Strader DB, Seeff LB. 2001. Hepatitis C: A brief clinical overview. ILAR J 42:107-116.

Tennant BC, Gerin JL. 2001. The woodchuck model of hepatitis B virus infection, ILAR J 42:89-102.

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