Hepatitis B virus DHBV

Duck hepatitis B virus (DHBV) has been proposed as a possible model for the inactivation of human HBV by chemical disinfectants. The principle of the test method uses viral DNA polymerase (DNAP) as a target, total inhibition in vitro of DNAP by chemical disinfectants being predictive of inactivation of infectivity in vivo. 

In cultured primary duck hepatocytes (PDH) congenitally infected with duck hepatitis B virus (DHBV), all major viral replicative intermediates are generated, and CCC DNA, present initially at a low copy number, is amplified in the PDH after a few days in culture (4,5), The amplification of CCC DNA in vitro provides an alternative to liver analysis for studying the structure of this molecule and its sensitivity to potential antiviral agents. 

Non-nucleosides. Suramin has been reported as an inhibitor of duck hepatitis B virus DNA polymerase (DHBV DNAp) activity with an in vitro assay system (217). However, in vivo studies with three male patients with severe chronic active hepatitis showed no suppression of human hepatitis B virus DNA polymerase activity by suramin (218). This study also demonstrated that suramin treatment resulted in toxicity and side effects at the tested concentration. Therefore, higher concentrations were not tested, and the results suggest that suramin has no role in the treatment of chronic active hepatitis. 

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