ABSTRACT
[ Objective ] To screen the duck model with congenital infection of duck hepatitis B virus (DHBV) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. [Methods] Serum DHBV-DNA level in one-day-old ducklings was detected by PCR method and was compared with that by Dot-blot method. Ducklings with serum DHBV-DNA being negative confirmed by PCR method were inoculated DHBV-DNA positive serum to establish acquired infection models. Pathological features of liver tissues in the congenital infec tion model and the acquired infection model were also observed. [Results] Sensitivity and specificity of PCR detecting serum DHBV-DNA were superior to those of Dot-blot method. In the congenital infection model, viremia maintained long time, the titer of serum DHBV-DNA was high and the inflammatory af fection in liver tissues was slight as compared with those in the acquired infection model. [Conclusion] The duck model with congenital infection of DHBV screened by PCR method is more suitable for the phar macological and pharmacodynamic research of drugs for chronic hepatitis B.