Serial transmission in rhesus monkeys of an agent related to hepatitis-associated antigen.

An agent that stimulated antibody to hepatitis-associated antigen (HAA) was transmitted to rhesus monkeys and serially passed in this species. In contrast to the results obtained with rhesus monkeys, vervets appeared to be refractory to infection with the agent. Antibody responses in infected rhesus monkeys were similar in magnitude and pattern to seroconversions observed in humans naturally or artificially infected with the virus of hepatitis B. However, in contrast to human infection, infection of the rhesus was inapparent and not associated with elevated levels of transaminase or obvious pathology of the liver.

一种能刺激产生肝炎相关抗原（HAA）抗体的病原体被传播给恒河猴，并在该物种中连续传代。与恒河猴所得到的结果相反，绿猴似乎对该病原体具有抵抗力。感染恒河猴后的抗体反应在程度和模式上与自然或人工感染乙型肝炎病毒的人类所观察到的血清转化相似。然而，与人类感染不同的是，恒河猴的感染是无症状的，且不伴有转氨酶水平升高或明显的肝脏病变。