FIG 1.

Serial challenge of chimpanzee 4x0193 with cell culture-derived HCVs. (A) Virologic markers (serum and intrahepatic HCV RNA and ELISA detection of anti-HCV) and serum ALT activity over a 290-week period. Viruses were inoculated intravenously at the time shown from the nominal week 0 for each; intervening gaps in time are not to scale (see the text for details). Horizontal dotted lines indicate baseline ALT activity (means ± 2 SD). (B) Expanded view of the 40 weeks following inoculation of HJ3-5 virus (second infectious challenge, ∼10⁶ FFU). The results of transcription-mediated amplification (TMA) assays for detection of HCV RNA in serum and FFU reduction assays for detection of neutralizing antibody (nAb) to HCV (H77 envelope) are shown at the top. (C) Similar expanded view of the 40 weeks following challenge with H77S.2 virus (third infectious challenge, ∼10⁶ FFU). Note that the liver biopsy specimen taken at 2 weeks after H77S.2 inoculation contained low levels of HCV RNA.