Hepadnavirus DNA Is Detected in Canine Blood Samples in Hong Kong but Not in Liver Biopsies of Chronic Hepatitis or Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Research output: Journal Publications and ReviewsRGC 21 - Publication in refereed journalpeer-review

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Author(s)

  • Yan Ru Choi
  • Min-Chun Chen
  • Maura Carrai
  • Francesca Rizzo
  • Yingfei Chai
  • Ken Jackson
  • Vito Martella
  • Joerg Steiner
  • Patricia A. Pesavento

Detail(s)

Original languageEnglish
Article number1543
Journal / PublicationViruses
Volume14
Issue number7
Online published15 Jul 2022
Publication statusPublished - Jul 2022

Link(s)

Abstract

Chronic hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) caused by the hepadnavirus hepatitis B virus (HBV) are significant causes of human mortality. A hepatitis-B-like virus infecting cats, domestic cat hepadnavirus (DCH), was reported in 2018. DCH DNA is hepatotropic and detectable in feline blood or serum (3.2 to 12.3%). Detection of HBV DNA has been reported in sera from 10% of free-roaming dogs in Brazil, whereas 6.3% of sera from dogs in Italy tested positive for DCH DNA by real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). If DCH, HBV, or another hepadnavirus is hepatotropic in dogs, a role for such a virus in the etiology of canine idiopathic chronic hepatitis (CH) or HCC warrants investigation. This study investigated whether DCH DNA could be detected via qPCR in blood from dogs in Hong Kong and also whether liver biopsies from dogs with confirmed idiopathic CH or HCC contained hepadnaviral DNA using two panhepadnavirus conventional PCRs (cPCR) and a DCH-specific cPCR. DCH DNA was amplified from 2 of 501 (0.4%) canine whole-blood DNA samples. A second sample taken 6 or 7 months later from each dog tested negative in DCH qPCR. DNA extracted from 101 liver biopsies from dogs in Hong Kong or the USA, diagnosed by board-certified pathologists as idiopathic CH (n = 47) or HCC (n = 54), tested negative for DCH DNA and also tested negative using panhepadnavirus cPCRs. This study confirms that DCH DNA can be detected in canine blood by qPCR, although at a much lower prevalence than that reported previously. We identified no evidence to support a pathogenic role for a hepadnavirus in canine idiopathic CH or HCC.

© 2022 by the authors.

Research Area(s)

  • carcinoma, cats, chronic, dogs, Hepadnaviridae, hepatitis, hepatitis B virus, hepatocellular

Citation Format(s)

Hepadnavirus DNA Is Detected in Canine Blood Samples in Hong Kong but Not in Liver Biopsies of Chronic Hepatitis or Hepatocellular Carcinoma. / Choi, Yan Ru; Chen, Min-Chun; Carrai, Maura et al.
In: Viruses, Vol. 14, No. 7, 1543, 07.2022.

Research output: Journal Publications and ReviewsRGC 21 - Publication in refereed journalpeer-review

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