Phylogenetic analysis and epidemiological history of Hepatitis E virus 3f and 3c in swine and wild boar, Italy

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a waterborne and foodborne pathogen largely spread around the world. HEV is responsible for acute hepatitis in humans and it is also diffused in domestic and wild animals. In particular, domestic pigs represent the main reservoir of the infection and particular attention should be paid to the consumption of raw and undercooked meat as a possible zoonotic vehicle of the pathogen. Several studies have reported the presence of HEV in wild boar circulating in European countries with similar prevalence rates. In this study, we evaluated the occurrence of HEV in wild boar hunted in specific areas of Tuscany. Sampling was performed by collecting liver samples and also by swabbing the carcasses at the slaughterhouses following hunting activities. Our data indicated that 8/67 (12%) of liver samples and 4/67 (6%) of swabs were positive for HEV RNA. The presence of HEV genome on swabs indicates the possible cross-contamination of carcass surfaces during slaughtering procedures. Altogether, our data indicated that it is essential to promote health education programmes for hunters and consumers to limit the diffusion of the pathogen to humans.

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DETECTION AND PHYLOGENETIC CHARACTERIZATION OF HEPATITIS E VIRUS GENOTYPE 3 IN A CAPTIVE WILD BOAR IN THAILAND

Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine ◽

10.1638/2011-0217r1.1 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 43 (3) ◽

pp. 640-644 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Anuwat Wiratsudakul ◽

Ladawan Sariya ◽

Phirom Prompiram ◽

Siriporn Tantawet ◽

Duangkhamol Suraruangchai ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Wild Boar ◽

Hepatitis E Virus ◽

Hepatitis E ◽

Genotype 3 ◽

Virus Genotype ◽

Phylogenetic Characterization

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Cell Culture Isolation and Whole Genome Characterization of Hepatitis E Virus Strains from Wild Boars in Germany

Microorganisms ◽

10.3390/microorganisms9112302 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (11) ◽

pp. 2302

Author(s):

Katja Schilling-Loeffler ◽

Oliver Viera-Segura ◽

Victor Max Corman ◽

Julia Schneider ◽

Ashish K. Gadicherla ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cell Culture ◽

Wild Boar ◽

Hepatitis E Virus ◽

Hepatitis E ◽

Enriched Library ◽

Genome Copy ◽

Genotype 3 ◽

Wild Boars ◽

Copy Numbers ◽

Cell Culture Isolation

Infection with hepatitis E virus (HEV) can cause acute and chronic hepatitis in humans. The HEV genotype 3 can be zoonotically transmitted from animals to humans, with wild boars representing an important reservoir species. Cell culture isolation of HEV is generally difficult and mainly described for human isolates so far. Here, five sera and five liver samples from HEV-RNA-positive wild boar samples were inoculated onto PLC/PRF/5 cells, incubated for 3 months and thereafter passaged for additional 6 weeks. As demonstrated by RT-qPCR, immunofluorescence and immune electron microscopy, virus was successfully isolated from two liver samples, which originally contained high HEV genome copy numbers. Both isolates showed slower growth than the culture-adapted HEV strain 47832c. In contrast to this strain, the isolated strains had no insertions in their hypervariable genome region. Next generation sequencing using an HEV sequence-enriched library enabled full genome sequencing. Strain Wb108/17 belongs to subtype 3f and strain Wb257/17 to a tentative novel subtype recently described in Italian wild boars. The results indicate that HEV can be successfully isolated in cell culture from wild boar samples containing high HEV genome copy numbers. The isolates may be used further to study the zoonotic potential of wild boar-derived HEV subtypes.

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A case of acute hepatitis E in Mie prefecture infected with genotype 4 hepatitis E virus strain endemic in Aichi and Shizuoka prefectures (Aichi/Shizuoka strain), without a history of eating wild animal meat

Kanzo ◽

10.2957/kanzo.55.405 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 55 (7) ◽

pp. 405-408 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Shino Fujimoto ◽

Satoshi Ishida ◽

Tatsunori Nakano ◽

Nagako Kitagawa ◽

Kunihiro Higuchi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Acute Hepatitis ◽

Virus Strain ◽

Hepatitis E Virus ◽

Hepatitis E ◽

Wild Animal ◽

Genotype 4 ◽

History Of ◽

Acute Hepatitis E

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Molecular tracing of Japan-indigenous hepatitis E viruses

Journal of General Virology ◽

10.1099/vir.0.81661-0 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 87 (4) ◽

pp. 949-954 ◽

Cited By ~ 38

Author(s):

Yasuhito Tanaka ◽

Kazuaki Takahashi ◽

Etsuro Orito ◽

Yoshiyasu Karino ◽

Jong-Hon Kang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis E Virus ◽

Demographic History ◽

Hepatitis E ◽

Genotype 3 ◽

Nucleotide Substitutions ◽

Genotype 4 ◽

History Of ◽

The Uk ◽

Evolutionary Growth ◽

Rna Polymerase Gene

The ancestor(s) of apparently Japan-indigenous strains of Hepatitis E virus (HEV) was probably of foreign origin, but it remains unclear when and from where it made inroads. In this study, 24 genotype 3 and 24 genotype 4 HEV strains recovered in Japan each showed a significant cluster, clearly distinct from those of foreign strains, in the phylogenetic tree constructed from an 821 nt RNA polymerase gene fragment. The evolutionary rate, approximately 0·8×10−3 nucleotide substitutions per site per year, enabled tracing of the demographic history of HEV and suggested that the ancestors of Japan-indigenous HEV had made inroads around 1900, when several kinds of Yorkshire pig were imported from the UK to Japan. Interestingly, the evolutionary growth of genotype 3 in Japan has been slow since the 1920s, whereas genotype 4 has spread rapidly since the 1980s. In conclusion, these data suggest that the indigenization and spread of HEV in Japan were associated with the popularization of eating pork.

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High levels of Hepatitis E virus in wild boar hunted for domestic consumption in Central Italy

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/cky214.003 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 28 (suppl_4) ◽

Author(s):

P De Santis ◽

S Di Pasquale ◽

G La Rosa ◽

D De Medici ◽

G Micarelli ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Wild Boar ◽

Hepatitis E Virus ◽

Central Italy ◽

Hepatitis E ◽

Domestic Consumption

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Mystery of Hepatitis E Virus: Recent Advances in Its Diagnosis and Management

International Journal of Hepatology ◽

10.1155/2015/872431 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2015 ◽

pp. 1-6 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Aftab Ahmed ◽

Ijlal Akbar Ali ◽

Hira Ghazal ◽

Javid Fazili ◽

Salman Nusrat

Keyword(s):

Chronic Hepatitis ◽

Hepatitis E Virus ◽

Treatment Options ◽

Antiviral Drug ◽

Pegylated Interferon ◽

Hepatitis E ◽

Recent Advances ◽

Immunosuppressed Patients ◽

History Of ◽

Acute And Chronic Hepatitis

Mysterious aspects of the long presumed to be well-known hepatitis E virus (HEV) have recently surfaced that distinguish it from other hepatotropic viruses. It is a cause of chronic hepatitis in immunosuppressed patients. It has human to human transmission through blood and mantains high seroprevalence in blood donors. HEV has also been found to occur more frequently in the West in those without a history of travel to endemic countries. It has varied extrahepatic manifestations and has multiple non-human reservoirs including pigs and rats. Considering these recent discoveries, it appears odd that HEV is not sought more frequently when working up acute and chronic hepatitis patients. The disease is particularly severe among pregnant women and has a high attack rate in young adults. What adds to its ambiguity is the absence of a well-established diagnostic criteria for its detection and that there is no specific antiviral drug for hepatitis E, except for isolated cases where ribavirin or pegylated interferon alpha has been used with occasional success. This review paper discusses the recent advances in the knowledge of the virus itself, its epidemiology, diagnostic approach and prevention, and the treatment options available.

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