High Hepatitis E virus (HEV) Positivity Among Domestic Pigs and Risk of HEV Infection of Individuals Occupationally Exposed to Pigs and Pork Meat in Hanoi, Vietnam

Abstract Background Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection can occur through consumption of undercooked pork meat or exposure to animal feces. Because there are scarce data only in developing countries, we assessed whether pigs might be a potential source of human HEV infections in Vietnam. In addition, we determined anti-HEV seroprevalences in the general population and in individuals professionally exposed to pigs and pork meat. Methods The study took place in Hanoi, Vietnam. Liver tissues from domestic pigs (n = 210) and serum samples obtained from individuals occupationally exposed to pigs and pork meat (n = 283) and from unexposed healthy controls (n = 168) were screened for HEV-ribonucleic acid (RNA) by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. The exposed group was divided into pork meat vendors (n = 81), pig farmers (n = 96), and slaughterers (n = 106). Serum samples were subjected to HEV immunoglobulin (Ig)G and IgM enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The HEV genotypes were assessed by direct sequencing, followed by phylogenetic analyses. Results Hepatitis E virus seroprevalence was higher among persons occupationally exposed to pigs/pork meat compared with unexposed individuals (anti-HEV IgM 11% vs 6%, P = .07; anti-HEV IgG 53% vs 31%, P < .0001). Positivity of anti-HEV IgG among slaughterhouse staff was 66%, followed by 51% in pig-farmers and 38% in pork meat vendors (P = .00073). A similar trend was observed for IgM positivity. Of the pig liver tissues, 26 of 210 (12.4%) were positive for HEV-RNA and assessed to be HEV genotype 3. Conclusions Hepatitis E virus circulates in domestic pigs in Hanoi and constitutes a permanent zoonotic disease risk. The high HEV seroprevalence among occupationally exposed individuals indicates an associated risk of HEV infection.

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Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) in Imported and Domestic Camels in Saudi Arabia – A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Molecular Study

10.21203/rs.3.rs-1074591/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Sherif A. El-Kafrawy ◽

Ahmed M. Hassan ◽

Mai M. El-Daly ◽

Mohammed Al-Hajri ◽

Elmoubashar Farag ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Saudi Arabia ◽

Hepatitis E Virus ◽

Phylogenetic Analyses ◽

Hepatitis E ◽

Molecular Study ◽

Amino Acid Difference ◽

Rt Pcr ◽

Serum Samples ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Zoonotic Viruses

Abstract Camels gained attention since the discovery of MERS-CoV as intermediary hosts for potentially epidemic zoonotic viruses. DcHEV is a novel zoonotic pathogen associated with camel contact. This study aimed to genetically characterize DcHEV in domestic and imported camels in Saudi Arabia. DcHEV was detected by RT-PCR in serum samples, PCR-positive samples were subjected to sequencing and phylogenetic analyses. DcHEV was detected in 1.77% of samples with higher positivity in domestic DCs. All positive imported dromedaries were from Sudan with age declining prevalence. Domestic DcHEV sequences clustered with sequences from Kenya, Somalia, and UAE while imported sequences clustered with one DcHEV isolate from UAE and both sequences clustered away from isolates reported from Pakistan. Full-genome sequences showed 24 amino acid difference with reference sequences. Our results confirm the detection of DcHEV in domestic and imported DCs. Further investigations are needed in human and camel populations to identify DcHEV potential zoonosis threat.

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Distribution and Genetic Diversity of Hepatitis E Virus in Wild and Domestic Rabbits in Australia

Pathogens ◽

10.3390/pathogens10121637 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (12) ◽

pp. 1637

Author(s):

Maria Jenckel ◽

Ina Smith ◽

Tegan King ◽

Peter West ◽

Patrick L. Taggart ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Genetic Diversity ◽

Hepatitis E Virus ◽

Phylogenetic Analyses ◽

Hepatitis E ◽

Northern Territory ◽

Rabbit Liver ◽

Wild Rabbit ◽

Serum Samples ◽

Domestic Rabbits ◽

First Time

In 2020, Hepatitis E virus (HEV) was detected for the first time in Australian rabbits. To improve our understanding of the genetic diversity and distribution of the virus, 1635 rabbit liver samples from locations across Australia were screened via RT-qPCR for HEV. HEV genomes were amplified and sequenced from 48 positive samples. Furthermore, we tested 380 serum samples from 11 locations across Australia for antibodies against HEV. HEV was detected in rabbits from all states and territories, except the Northern Territory. Seroprevalence varied between locations (from 0% to 22%), demonstrating that HEV is widely distributed in rabbit populations across Australia. Phylogenetic analyses showed that Australian HEV sequences are genetically diverse and that HEV was likely introduced into Australia independently on several occasions. In summary, this study broadens our understanding of the genetic diversity of rabbit HEV globally and shows that the virus is endemic in both domestic and wild rabbit populations in Australia.

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Cross-Species Transmission of Swine Hepatitis E Virus Genotype 3 to Rabbits

Viruses ◽

10.3390/v12010053 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 53 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sang-Hoon Han ◽

Byung-Joo Park ◽

Hee-Seop Ahn ◽

Yong-Hyun Kim ◽

Hyeon-Jeong Go ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis E Virus ◽

Rna Virus ◽

Hepatitis E ◽

Genotype 3 ◽

Serum Samples ◽

Virus Genotype ◽

Specific Pathogen ◽

Swine Hepatitis ◽

Negative Controls ◽

Liver Tissues

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a quasi-enveloped, positive-sense single stranded RNA virus. HEV continually expands the host ranges across animal species. In this study, the possibility of cross-species infection with swine HEV-3 was investigated using rabbits. A total of fourteen 8-week old, specific pathogen-free rabbits were divided into three experimental groups. Four rabbits were used as negative controls, four rabbits were infected with rabbit HEV as positive controls, and six rabbits were inoculated with swine HEV-3. HEV RNA were detected from serum and fecal samples after viral challenge. The levels of anti-HEV antibodies, pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1, IL-6, TNF-α and IFN-α), and liver enzymes (alanine and aspartate aminotransferases) were determined in serum samples. Histopathological lesions were examined in liver tissues. Viral RNA and anti-HEV antibodies were identified in rabbits inoculated with swine HEV-3 demonstrating positive infectivity of the virus. However, pro-inflammatory cytokine and liver enzyme levels in serum were not significantly elevated, and only mild inflammatory lesions were detected in the liver tissues of rabbits infected with swine HEV-3. These results suggest that swine HEV-3 can engage in cross-species transmission to rabbits, but causes only mild inflammation of the liver.

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Endemic hepatitis E in two Nordic countries

Eurosurveillance ◽

10.2807/ese.14.19.19211-en ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 14 (19) ◽

Cited By ~ 33

Author(s):

H Norder ◽

L Sundqvist ◽

L Magnusson ◽

S Østergaard Breum ◽

M Löfdahl ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis E Virus ◽

Indian Subcontinent ◽

Phylogenetic Analyses ◽

Hepatitis E ◽

Unknown Etiology ◽

Genotype 1 ◽

High Similarity ◽

Genotype 3 ◽

Domestic Pigs ◽

Travel Abroad

Antibodies against hepatitis E virus (anti-HEV) were found in 248 Swedish and Danish patients between 1993 and 2007. Most patients were symptomatic and tested for anti-HEV due to travel abroad. Among patients with known country of infection, most were infected in Asia, mainly on the Indian subcontinent. However, 29 patients were infected in Europe, nine of these had HEV IgM and/or HEV RNA in serum. In sera from 65 of 141 tested patients HEV RNA could be detected, and 63 strains could be typed by limited sequencing within ORF2. HEV RNA was found in sera from 71% of the patients with HEV IgM and IgG and in 18% of the patients with only detectable HEV IgG. It was also found up to three weeks after the onset of disease in 67% of the patients with known date of onset. Patients infected in Europe were infected by genotype 3, and were older than those infected by genotype 1 (mean age 55.3 vs 30 years, p<0.001). Since it is known that genotype 3 can infect domestic pigs, HEV strains from 18 piglets in 17 herds in Sweden and Denmark were sequenced. Phylogenetic analyses of the genotype 3 strains showed geographical clades and high similarity between strains from patients and pigs from the same area. There are thus autochthonous hepatitis E cases in Scandinavia, and there are probably many undiagnosed ones. Patients with hepatitis of unknown etiology should therefore be investigated for anti-HEV even if they have not been outside Europe, since infections acquired from pigs or other animals should be taken into consideration.

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Identity of a Novel Swine Hepatitis E Virus in Taiwan Forming a Monophyletic Group with Taiwan Isolates of Human Hepatitis E Virus

Journal of Clinical Microbiology ◽

10.1128/jcm.37.12.3828-3834.1999 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 37 (12) ◽

pp. 3828-3834 ◽

Cited By ~ 163

Author(s):

Sen-Yung Hsieh ◽

Xiang-Jin Meng ◽

Ying-Hua Wu ◽

Shih-Tung Liu ◽

Albert W. Tam ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis E Virus ◽

Genomic Sequence ◽

Phylogenetic Analyses ◽

Hepatitis E ◽

The United States ◽

Serum Samples ◽

History Of ◽

Swine Hepatitis ◽

Acute Hepatitis E ◽

Swine Strain

Recently, we found that more than 10% of the cases of acute non-A, non-B, non-C hepatitis in Taiwan were caused by a novel strain of hepatitis E virus (HEV). Since none of these patients had a history of travel to areas where HEV is endemic, the source of transmission remains unclear. The recent discovery of a swine HEV in herd pigs in the United States has led us to speculate that HEV may also circulate in herd pigs in Taiwan and may serve as a reservoir for HEV in Taiwan. Of 275 herd pigs obtained from 10 pig farms in Taiwan, 102 (37%) were seropositive for serum anti-HEV immunoglobulin G (IgG). A 185-bp genomic sequence within the ORF-2 of the HEV genome was amplified and cloned from serum samples of an anti-HEV positive pig and subsequently from serum samples of a patient with acute hepatitis E. Sequence comparison revealed that the swine and human isolates of HEV share 97.3% identity. Phylogenetic analyses further showed that the Taiwan swine and human isolates of HEV form a distinct branch divergent from all other known strains of HEV, including the U.S. swine strain. To examine the potential risk of cross-species transmission of swine HEV to humans, the seroprevalences of anti-HEV IgG in 30 swine handlers, 20 pork dealers, and 50 control subjects were assessed and were found to be 26.7, 15, and 8%, respectively (for swine handlers versus controls,P = 0.048). Our findings may help provide an understanding of the modes of HEV transmission and may also raise potential public health concerns for HEV zoonosis.

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Increasing Hepatitis E Virus Seroprevalence in Domestic Pigs and Wild Boar in Bulgaria

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani10091521 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (9) ◽

pp. 1521 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Katerina Takova ◽

Tsvetoslav Koynarski ◽

Ivan Minkov ◽

Zdravka Ivanova ◽

Valentina Toneva ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Wild Boar ◽

Hepatitis E Virus ◽

Viral Evolution ◽

Hepatitis E ◽

Developed Countries ◽

Viral Disease ◽

Detailed Examination ◽

Serum Samples ◽

Hunting Season ◽

Domestic Pigs

(1) Background: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a causative agent of acute viral hepatitis, predominantly transmitted by the fecal–oral route. In developed countries, HEV is considered to be an emerging pathogen since the number of autochthonous cases is rising. Hepatitis E is a viral disease with a proven zoonotic potential for some of its genotypes. The main viral reservoirs are domestic pigs and wild boar. Consumption of undercooked meat, as well as occupational exposure, are key factors for the spread of HEV. In order to evaluate the risks of future viral evolution, a detailed examination of the ecology and distribution of the virus is needed. The aim of the present study is to investigate the prevalence of anti-HEV IgG Ab in domestic pigs and wild boar in Bulgaria; (2) Methods: In this study, during the period of three years between 2017 and 2019, 433 serum samples from 19 different pig farms and 1 slaughterhouse were collected and analyzed. In addition, 32 samples from wild boar were also collected and analyzed during the 2018–2019 hunting season. All samples were analyzed by commercial indirect ELISA; (3) Results: Overall, HEV seroprevalence was 60% (95% CI 42.7–77.1) in domestic pigs and 12.5% (4/32) in wild boar. The observed seroprevalence of the slaughter-aged pigs was 73.65% (95% Cl 58.7–87.3). Prevalence in domestic pigs was significantly higher in the samples collected during 2019 (98% (95% Cl 96.1–99.9)) compared to those collected during 2017 (45.33% (95% CI 2.7–87.3)) and 2018 (38.46% (95% CI 29.1–49.7.); (4) Conclusions: Our findings suggest that domesticated pigs and wild boar might be the reason for the increased HEV transmission across Bulgaria. The genotypic characterization of HEV found in pigs, wild boar and humans will give a more accurate view of the zoonotic transmission of this virus.

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Cross-species infection of hepatitis E virus in a zoo-like location, including birds

Epidemiology and Infection ◽

10.1017/s095026880700965x ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 136 (8) ◽

pp. 1020-1026 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

W. ZHANG ◽

Q. SHEN ◽

J. MOU ◽

Z. B. YANG ◽

C. L. YUAN ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis E Virus ◽

Phylogenetic Analyses ◽

Eastern China ◽

Hepatitis E ◽

Positive Sequence ◽

Serum Samples ◽

Genotype 4 ◽

Zoonotic Pathogen ◽

Faecal Samples ◽

Animal Handlers

SUMMARYHepatitis E virus (HEV) is a zoonotic pathogen of which several species of animals are considered to be reservoirs. Thirty-eight faecal samples, obtained from 22 species of animals including birds in a wildlife first-aid centre in Eastern China, were tested for HEV RNA. Our survey revealed that in total 28·9% (95% confidence interval 14·5–43·4) of the faecal samples from various mammals and birds were HEV RNA positive. Sequence and phylogenetic analyses of the 11 isolates demonstrated that all sequences clustered in genotype 4 with 96–100% identity to each other. In addition, serum samples from seven animal handlers have shown that five (71·4%) were seropositive. The findings imply that cross-species infection of HEV had probably occurred in this zoo-like location, and moreover, birds can be infected naturally with mammalian HEV.

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Serological and molecular studies on subclinical hepatitis E virus infection using periodic serum samples obtained from healthy individuals

Journal of Medical Virology ◽

10.1002/jmv.20393 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 76 (4) ◽

pp. 526-533 ◽

Cited By ~ 33

Author(s):

Takehiro Mitsui ◽

Yukie Tsukamoto ◽

Shigeru Suzuki ◽

Chikao Yamazaki ◽

Kazuo Masuko ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Virus Infection ◽

Hepatitis E Virus ◽

Hepatitis E ◽

Healthy Individuals ◽

Serum Samples ◽

Molecular Studies

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Hepatitis E Virus Occurrence in Pigs Slaughtered in Italy

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani11020277 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 277

Author(s):

Eleonora Chelli ◽

Elisabetta Suffredini ◽

Paola De Santis ◽

Dario De Medici ◽

Santina Di Bella ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis E Virus ◽

Phylogenetic Analyses ◽

Hepatitis E ◽

Rt Pcr ◽

High Seroprevalence ◽

Genotype 3 ◽

Sporadic Cases ◽

Wild Boar Meat ◽

Small Clusters ◽

Frequent Exposure

In Europe, foodborne transmission has been clearly associated to sporadic cases and small clusters of hepatitis E in humans linked to the consumption of contaminated pig liver sausages, raw venison, or undercooked wild boar meat. In Europe, zoonotic HEV-genotype 3 strains are widespread in pig farms but little information is available on the prevalence of HEV positive pigs at slaughterhouse. In the present study, the prevalence of HEV-RNA positive pigs was assessed on 585 animals from 4 abattoirs located across Italy. Twenty-one pigs (3.6%) tested positive for HEV in either feces or liver by real-time RT-PCR. In these 21 pigs, eight diaphragm muscles resulted positive for HEV-RNA. Among animals collected in one abattoir, 4 out of 91 plasma tested positive for HEV-RNA. ELISA tests for the detection of total antibodies against HEV showed a high seroprevalence (76.8%), confirming the frequent exposure of pigs to the virus. The phylogenetic analyses conducted on sequences of both ORF1 and ORF2 fragments, shows the circulation of HEV-3c and of a novel unclassified subtype. This study provides information on HEV occurrence in pigs at the slaughterhouse, confirming that muscles are rarely contaminated by HEV-RNA compared to liver, which is the most frequently positive for HEV.

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