Serological evidence of infection with hepatitis E virus among wild Yezo-deer,Cervus nippon yesoensis, in Hokkaido, Japan

ABSTRACTObjective. To detect the presence of specific antibodies against Hepatitis E virus (HEV) in pigs slaughtered in Antioquia, the department where the greatest amount of pork is produced and consumed in Colombia. Materials and methods. Between September 2011 and May 2012, blood samples from pigs were obtained in five slaughterhouses of Antioquia, four of them located in the Aburrá Valley subregion and other located in northern subregión. Serum were evaluated with a commercial ELISA kit for diagnosing HEV in humans but adapted to detect IgG and IgM antibodies in pigs. Results. A 100.0% seropositivity for IgG antibodies was found in 1000 samples evaluated, and 82.06% for IgM antibodies were found in 740 samples. Conclusions. These results indicate that pigs in slaughter age in Antioquia, and possibly in Colombia, have been exposed to HEV at some point in their production process and a high percentage of them can arrive to slaughterhouses with recent infection.RESUMENObjetivo. Detectar la presencia de anticuerpos específicos contra el virus de la Hepatitis E (HEV) en cerdos faenados en Antioquia, departamento donde se produce y consume la mayor cantidad de carne de cerdo en Colombia. Materiales y métodos. Entre septiembre de 2011 y mayo de 2012, se obtuvieron muestras de sangre de cerdos en cinco plantas de faenado, cuatro de ellas ubicadas en el Valle de Aburrá y una en la subregión Norte del departamento de Antioquia, las cuales fueron evaluadas mediante un kit de ELISA comercial para diagnóstico de HEV en humanos pero adaptado para la detección de anticuerpos tipo IgG e IgM en cerdos. Resultados. Se encontró una seropositividad de 100.0% para anticuerpos tipo IgG en 1000 muestras evaluadas y de 82.06% para anticuerpos tipo IgM en 740 muestras. Una muestra de heces positiva para la detección del genoma HEV es similar al genotipo 3 encontrada en Estados Unidos. Conclusiones. Estos resultados indican que los cerdos en edad de faenado en Antioquia y posiblemente en Colombia, han tenido exposición a HEV del, un virus zoonótico emergente a nivel mundial, en algún momento de su proceso productivo.

Download Full-text

Serological evidence of hepatitis E virus infection in dromedary camels in Ethiopia

Journal of Virological Methods ◽

10.1016/j.jviromet.2017.04.008 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 246 ◽

pp. 34-37 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Tian-Cheng Li ◽

Sayaka Yoshizaki ◽

Xianfeng Zhou ◽

Hiroshi Sentsui ◽

Kazuya Shirato ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Virus Infection ◽

Hepatitis E Virus ◽

Hepatitis E ◽

Serological Evidence ◽

Dromedary Camels

Download Full-text

Serological Evidence of Hepatitis E Virus Infection in an Indigenous North American Population

Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology ◽

10.1155/2007/289059 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 21 (7) ◽

pp. 439-442 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

GY Minuk ◽

A Sun ◽

DF Sun ◽

J Uhanova ◽

LE Nicolle ◽

...

Keyword(s):

North American ◽

Hepatitis E Virus ◽

Hepatitis A Virus ◽

Hepatitis E ◽

North American Population ◽

Serological Evidence ◽

Recent Infection ◽

B Virus ◽

Polymerase Chain ◽

Inuit Population

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infections are thought to be uncommon in North America. Recently, HEV transmission has been reported following the consumption of deer meat. Because deer are closely related to caribou and caribou meat is a staple of the Canadian Inuit and the American Eskimo diet, the present study explored the seroprevalence of HEV infection in an isolated Canadian Inuit community.METHODS: Stored sera were thawed and tested for immunoglobulin (Ig) G and IgM anti-HEV by ELISA, and tested for HEV-RNA by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction.RESULTS: The study consisted of 393 sera (representing approximately 50% of the community’s inhabitants). Eleven samples (3%) were IgG anti-HEV-positive. Their mean age was 29±8 years and three were male. Two of 11 (18%) were also IgM anti-HEV-positive. All IgG anti-HEV-positive individuals were HEV-RNA-negative. Liver biochemistry was normal in all. Seven of 11 (64%) were also positive for anti-hepatitis A virus, five (46%) were hepatitis B virus seropositive and none (0%) were positive for anti-hepatitis C virus. There were no associations between infections with HEV and other hepatropic viruses. Serological testing was negative for HEV infection in 25 caribou from an adjacent region.CONCLUSION: The results of the present study showed that serological evidence of HEV infection was present in 3% of the observed Canadian Inuit population; the presence of IgM anti-HEV suggested recent infection and HEV did not appear to coinfect with other common hepatotropic viruses. The source of HEV infection in the population remains unclear. These findings are interesting but preliminary. Additional data are required to determine whether HEV infections are responsible for otherwise unexplained acute hepatitis in the Canadian Inuit population and visitors returning from northern North American communities.

Download Full-text