The woodchuck as an animal model for pathogenesis and therapy of chronic hepatitis B virus infection

Figure 2 Schematic profiles for serum viremia in adult and neonatal models of experimental WHV infection. A: Adult woodchucks. Adult woodchucks born to WHV-negative dams are infected with 1 x 10⁷ woodchuck infectious doses 50% of a defined WHV inoculum by the intravenous route. The proportions of chronic and resolved outcomes of adult woodchucks usually are less than 5% and more than 95%, respectively. The lifetime risk for the development of HCC in established chronic and resolved WHV infections is 100% and 15%-20%, respectively; B: Neonatal woodchucks. Neonatal woodchucks born to WHV-negative dams are infected with 5 x 10⁶ woodchuck infectious doses 50% of a defined WHV inoculum by the subcutaneous route. The proportions of chronic and resolved outcomes range between 60%-75% and 25%-40%, respectively. The lifetime risk for the development of HCC in established chronic and resolved WHV infections is 100% and 15%-20%, respectively. HCC in uninfected, WHV-negative woodchucks is not observed. Approximate time intervals for the development of innate and acquired immunity are shown.