Absence of perinatal transmission of blood-borne non-A, non-B hepatitis virus by chimpanzees with acute and chronic infection

J Med Virol. 1989 May;28(1):13-5. doi: 10.1002/jmv.1890280104.

Abstract

Two chimpanzees were born to parents with chronic non-A, non-B hepatitis and remained with their mothers until 12 and 18 months, respectively. The infants were followed from 7 to 8 weeks of age with biweekly or monthly blood samples and with monthly liver biopsies from 4 to 7 months after birth. Another chimpanzee, along with both of its parents, was held throughout the parents' acute infection with non-A, non-B hepatitis; at this time the infant was 14-16 months of age, and it was followed with bi-weekly blood samples and monthly biopsies from the time of potential exposure for 20 months. No abnormalities indicative of non-A, non-B hepatitis were detected in these animals. During the 29 to 35 months of follow-up, alanine aminotransferases and gamma glutamyl-transferases (GGPT) levels remained well within normal range for animals held in the same facility. Histologic and electron microscopic examination of liver tissue revealed no abnormalities.

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Alanine Transaminase / blood
  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn
  • Biopsy
  • Chronic Disease
  • Disease Susceptibility
  • Female
  • Hepatitis C / pathology
  • Hepatitis C / transmission*
  • Hepatitis Viruses / isolation & purification
  • Hepatitis Viruses / pathogenicity*
  • Hepatitis, Viral, Human / transmission*
  • Liver / microbiology
  • Liver / pathology
  • Male
  • Maternal-Fetal Exchange
  • Pan troglodytes
  • Pregnancy
  • gamma-Glutamyltransferase / blood

Substances

  • gamma-Glutamyltransferase
  • Alanine Transaminase