新的乙型肝炎病毒在白吸盘发现（Catostomus commersonii）

StephenW

New Hepatitis B Virus Discovered in White Sucker (Catostomus commersonii)

The first known hepatitis B virus to infect fish (white sucker; Catostomus commersonii) has been discovered by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists. These findings, with the full genetic sequence of the virus, were published in the Journal of Virology. This newly discovered virus is in the family Hepadnaviridae, which include similar viruses in mammals and birds. This virus is unique from other known hepadnaviruses and likely represents a new genus. In mammals, including humans, these viruses are typically associated with liver diseases including fibrosis, cirrhosis, and cancer. Human hepatitis B virus has a specific protein that is associated with cancer induction, and this tumor-associated protein is not present in the new hepatitis B virus isolated from white suckers.

White suckers inhabit river systems in the Midwestern and Northeastern United States. As bottom-feeders, they are continuously exposed to contaminants in river sediments and are used as an indicator species in assessing the health of their aquatic environments. The incidence of liver tumors in these fish has been used as an indication of toxic contaminant exposure. It is not known if this newly identified virus is associated with tumors or liver disease in these fish, but it may be a risk factor.

This research was partially funded by the USGS Contaminant Biology and Fisheries: Aquatic and Endangered ResourcesPrograms, the Cooperative Research Unit Program, and the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

StephenW

新的乙型肝炎病毒在白吸盘发现（Catostomus commersonii）

第一个已知的B型肝炎病毒感染鱼（白色吸盘; Catostomus commersonii）已经由美国地质调查局（USGS）科学家发现。这些发现，该病毒的全基因序列，发表在病毒学杂志。这一新发现的病毒是在家庭中嗜肝，其中包括在哺乳动物和鸟类类似病毒。这种病毒是从其他已知嗜肝DNA病毒独特，可能代表一个新属。在哺乳动物，包括人类，这些病毒通常与肝脏疾病，包括纤维化，肝硬化和癌症相关联。人乙型肝炎病毒具有与癌症诱导相关联的特定的蛋白质，而这种肿瘤相关蛋白不存在于从白吸盘分离新B型肝炎病毒。

白吸盘居住在中西部和美国东北部的河流系统。作为底馈线，它们被连续地暴露在河流沉积物的污染物和被用作评估其水环境的状况的指标物种。在这些鱼肝肿瘤的发生率已经用作有毒的污染物暴露的指示。如果这个新发现的病毒与在这些鱼肿瘤或肝脏疾病有关它是不知道，但它可能是一个危险因素。

这项研究部分由美国地质调查局污染物生物学与渔业资助：水生濒危资源计划，合作研究单位计划，和大湖区恢复计划。