Natural Hepacivirus Infection in Tree Shrews: A Call for Routine Screening in Hepatitis Virus Research.

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Animal Models
• Hepatitis Research

Background:

• Hepatitis viruses present global health challenges, requiring robust experimental models.
• Tree shrews are valuable models due to natural susceptibility to hepatitis viruses and primate phylogenetic similarity.
• High prevalence of natural hepacivirus infections in tree shrews necessitates routine screening.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the importance of routine viral screening in tree shrews used for hepatitis studies.
• To emphasize the need for standardized reporting of tree shrew infection status.
• To underscore the role of virologically screened tree shrews in advancing hepatitis research.

Main Methods:

• This paper is an opinion piece, synthesizing current knowledge and expert recommendations.
• It advocates for systematic screening protocols for tree shrews.
• It stresses the importance of standardized reporting of infection status.

Main Results:

• Undetected natural infections in tree shrews can compromise experimental data integrity and biosecurity.
• Systematic screening minimizes risks, enhances research reproducibility, and safeguards findings.
• Consistent assessment of infection status improves the translational potential of tree shrew models.

Conclusions:

• Ensuring the virological status of tree shrews is a critical methodological standard, not just a procedural recommendation.
• Standardized screening and reporting are essential for reliable hepatitis virus research using tree shrews.
• Virologically screened tree shrews enhance the study of viral hepatitis pathogenesis and antiviral evaluations.