Woodchuck hepatitis virus explained

Woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) is a species of the genus Orthohepadnavirus. It was first discovered in 1977 in a captive population of Marmota monax, but has since been discovered in wild populations in the Eastern United States.^[1] Infected woodchucks which are unable to clear the infection inevitably develop hepatocellular carcinoma; this has led to the use of WHV in woodchucks as a model for human Hepatitis B virus infections.^[2]

Notes and References

1. Tyler . Gail V. . Summers . Jesse W.. Synder . Robert L. . Woodchuck Hepatitis Virus in Natural Woodchuck Populations . Journal of Wildlife Diseases . 12 . 1981 . 2 . 297–301. 10.7589/0090-3558-17.2.297 . 7241716 . 27109364 . free .
2. Book: Tennant, W. C. . The Woodchuck Model of Hepatitis B Virus Infection . Handbook of animal models of infection: experimental models in antimicrobial chemotherapy . 978-0-12-775390-4 . Academic Press, San Diego . 1999.