publication . Article . 2017

Immunology taught by rats.

Name: Immunology taught by rats.
Keywords: Multidisciplinary

Eleanor Barnes; Paul Klenerman;

Open Access English

Published: 14 Jul 2017 Journal: Science, volume 357, issue 6,347 (issn: 0036-8075, eissn: 1095-9203,

Country: United Kingdom

Summary
External Databases
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Abstract

Immunology may be best taught by viruses ( 1 ), and possibly by humans ( 2 ), but the rats of New York City surprisingly also have plenty to offer. A survey published in 2014 of the pathogens carried by rats trapped in houses and parks in Manhattan identified a huge burden of infectious agents in these animals, including several novel viruses ( 3 ). Among these are Norway rat hepaciviruses (NrHVs), which belong to the same family as hepatitis C virus (HCV). NrHVs were found in rat livers, raising the possibility of establishing a small animal model of human HCV infection. On page 204 of this issue, Billerbeck et al. ( 4 ) fulfill this prediction.

doi: 10.1126/science.aao0184

pmid: 28706073

Subjects

free text keywords: Multidisciplinary, Immunology, Hepatitis C virus, medicine.disease_cause, medicine, Hepaciviruses, Small animal, Biology

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