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]
| Woodchuck hepatitis virus | |
|---|---|
Virus classification 
| |
| (unranked): | Virus |
| Realm: | Riboviria |
| Kingdom: | Pararnavirae |
| Phylum: | Artverviricota |
| Class: | Revtraviricetes |
| Order: | Blubervirales |
| Family: | Hepadnaviridae |
| Genus: | Orthohepadnavirus |
| Species: | Woodchuck hepatitis virus
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References
edit- ^ Tyler, Gail V.; Summers, Jesse W.; Synder, Robert L. (1981). "Woodchuck Hepatitis Virus in Natural Woodchuck Populations". Journal of Wildlife Diseases. 12 (2): 297–301. doi:10.7589/0090-3558-17.2.297. PMID 7241716. S2CID 27109364.
- ^ Tennant, W. C. (1999). "The Woodchuck Model of Hepatitis B Virus Infection". Handbook of animal models of infection: experimental models in antimicrobial chemotherapy. Academic Press, San Diego. ISBN 978-0-12-775390-4.
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