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Does a Hepadnavirus Contribute to Chronic Hepatitis or Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Dogs?

Yan Ru Choi, Min-Chun Chen, Maura Carrai, Francesca Rizzo, Yingfei Chai, May Tse, Ken Jackson, Vito Martella, Joerg Steiner, Patricia Pesavento, Pawel M. Bęczkowski, Vanessa R. Barrs, Jules A. Beatty

Research output: Conference PapersRGC 32 - Refereed conference paper (without host publication)peer-review

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Hepatitis B virus (HBV), a hepadnavirus, causes chronic hepatitis (CH) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in humans. Domestic cat hepadnavirus (DCH) viraemia is detected in 3.2–12.3% of cats. In dogs, HBV DNA was detected in 10% of dog sera in Brazil; 6.3% of dog sera in Italy tested DCH qPCR positive. A hepadnavirus infecting dogs may play an aetiological role in canine idiopathic CH or HCC.

AIMS

To investigate whether hepadnaviral DNA is detected in a) blood from dogs in Hong Kong, and b) liver biopsies from dogs diagnosed with idiopathic CH or HCC.

METHODS

DCH qPCR was run on residual diagnostic canine blood DNAs. DNA extracted from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded biopsies of idiopathic CH or HCC, diagnosed by board-certified pathologists at 3 institutions in Hong Kong and the USA, were tested using two panhepadnavirus cPCRs and one DCH-specific cPCR.

RESULTS

DCH DNA was amplified from two of 501 (0.4%) whole-blood derived DNA samples. DNA extracted from 101 liver biopsies (idiopathic CH n=47, HCC n=54) from dogs in Hong Kong and the USA, tested negative for DCH DNA, and also tested negative on both panhepadnavirus cPCRs.

DISCUSSION/ CONCLUSIONS

This study confirms that circulating DCH DNA can be detected in dogs in Hong Kong although rarely, in contrast to a recent investigation of dogs in Italy. No evidence to support a pathogenic role for a hepadnavirus in canine idiopathic CH or HCC was found.
Original languageEnglish
Publication statusPublished - Sept 2022
Event6th International Society for Companion Animal Infectious Diseases Symposium (ISCAID 2022) - Glasgow, United Kingdom
Duration: 4 Sept 20227 Sept 2022
https://www.iscaid.org/2021-meeting
https://www.vin.com/iscaid

Conference

Conference6th International Society for Companion Animal Infectious Diseases Symposium (ISCAID 2022)
PlaceUnited Kingdom
CityGlasgow
Period4/09/227/09/22
Internet address

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

  1. SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
    SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

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