A Pilot Study on Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) Epidemiology in Animal Reservoirs in Bulgaria

Abstract Information on hepatitis E virus (HEV) epidemiology in animal reservoirs in Bulgaria is still lacking. Herein, by screening HEV seropositive sera obtained from Bulgarian swine and wild boars, viral RNA was detected at high prevalence rate (28.2%) in industrial pigs. Sequence analysis of the partial polymerase (RdRp) region revealed the highest genetic correlation with HEVs of genotype (Gt) 3 identified in French and Dutch patients. For three such strains a 700-bp fragment of the ORF 2 gene was generated. On phylogenetic analysis, the Bulgarian strains clustered tightly (93.8-98.3% nt) with human and animal HEVs classified within the Gt3 subtype c.

Download Full-text

A Molecular Study on Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) in Pigs in Bulgaria

Veterinary Sciences ◽

10.3390/vetsci8110267 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (11) ◽

pp. 267

Author(s):

Andrea Palombieri ◽

Ilia Tsachev ◽

Vittorio Sarchese ◽

Paola Fruci ◽

Federica Di Profio ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis E Virus ◽

Hepatitis E ◽

Molecular Study ◽

Open Reading Frame ◽

Subtype C ◽

Reading Frame ◽

Rdrp Region ◽

High Prevalence ◽

Open Reading Frame 2 ◽

Animal Reservoirs

Information on hepatitis E virus (HEV) strains circulating in animal reservoirs in Bulgaria is currently lacking. Herein, by screening HEV seropositive sera obtained from Bulgarian swine and wild boars, viral RNA was detected at high prevalence rate (28.2%) in industrial pigs. Sequence analysis of the partial polymerase (RdRp) region revealed the highest genetic correlation with HEVs of genotype (Gt) 3 identified in French and Dutch patients. For three such strains, a 700-bp fragment of the open reading frame 2 gene was generated. On phylogenetic analysis, the Bulgarian strains clustered tightly (93.8–98.3% nt) with human and animal HEVs classified within the Gt3 subtype c.

Download Full-text

High Prevalence of Hepatitis E Virus spezifc IgG-Antibodies in liver transplant recipients in the northern part of Germany

Zeitschrift für Gastroenterologie ◽

10.1055/s-0030-1269629 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 49 (01) ◽

Author(s):

R Günther ◽

H Vollbrecht ◽

V Kataev ◽

T Bielefeld ◽

A Köpke ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Liver Transplant ◽

Hepatitis E Virus ◽

Hepatitis E ◽

Transplant Recipients ◽

Igg Antibodies ◽

High Prevalence ◽

Liver Transplant Recipients

Download Full-text

Detection and characterisation of hepatitis E virus in naturally infected swine in Croatia

Acta Veterinaria Hungarica ◽

10.1556/avet.2013.031 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 61 (4) ◽

pp. 517-528 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Zoran Lipej ◽

Dinko Novosel ◽

Lea Vojta ◽

Besi Roić ◽

Miljenko Šimpraga ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis E Virus ◽

Age Groups ◽

Hepatitis E ◽

Health Concern ◽

Rt Pcr ◽

Animal Reservoir ◽

Naturally Occurring ◽

High Prevalence ◽

Swine Herds ◽

Bile Samples

Hepatitis E is a viral zoonotic disease infecting swine worldwide. Since pigs represent a likely animal reservoir for the hepatitis E virus, the epidemiology of naturally occurring hepatitis E was investigated in Croatian swine herds. Nearly all tested animals were seropositive for antibodies against the hepatitis E virus (55/60, 91.7%). Active infection was detected in all age groups by RT-PCR of viral RNA in serum (8/60, 13.3%) and bile samples (3/37, 8.1%), which was further confirmed by histopathological findings of characteristic lesions in the livers of the infected animals. Three new strains of hepatitis E virus were isolated from Croatian pig herds. Phylogenetic analysis using median-joining networks clustered those Croatian strains with isolates from various parts of the world, indicating their likely origin in international trade. Similarity to human isolates implies a zoonotic potential of Croatian strains, which raises a public health concern, especially in the light of the high prevalence of hepatitis E in the herds studied.

Download Full-text

Hepatitis E virus: Animal reservoirs and zoonotic risk

Veterinary Microbiology ◽

10.1016/j.vetmic.2009.03.017 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 140 (3-4) ◽

pp. 256-265 ◽

Cited By ~ 319

Author(s):

X.J. Meng

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis E Virus ◽

Hepatitis E ◽

Zoonotic Risk ◽

Animal Reservoirs

Download Full-text

High prevalence of Hepatitis E virus in French domestic pigs

Comparative Immunology Microbiology and Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1016/j.cimid.2011.07.003 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 34 (5) ◽

pp. 419-427 ◽

Cited By ~ 82

Author(s):

Nicolas Rose ◽

Aurélie Lunazzi ◽

Virginie Dorenlor ◽

Thiziri Merbah ◽

Florent Eono ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis E Virus ◽

Hepatitis E ◽

Domestic Pigs ◽

High Prevalence

Download Full-text

Study of a hepatitis E virus outbreak involving drinking water and sewage contamination in Shimla, India, 2015–2016

Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene ◽

10.1093/trstmh/trz072 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 113 (12) ◽

pp. 789-796 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Anuradha S Tripathy ◽

Meenal Sharma ◽

Avinash R Deoshatwar ◽

Prasad Babar ◽

Rakesh Bharadwaj ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Phylogenetic Analysis ◽

Water Samples ◽

Hepatitis E Virus ◽

Hepatitis A ◽

Hepatitis A Virus ◽

Hepatitis E ◽

Rt Pcr ◽

Oral Transmission ◽

Sewage Contamination ◽

Current Outbreak

Abstract Background Hepatitis E, caused by hepatitis E virus (HEV), accounts for 50% of acute hepatitis cases in India. We report an outbreak of hepatitis E in Shimla, India, in 2015–2016. Methods ICMR-National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, received two batches of water samples from Shimla in January 2016 to test for the presence of enterically transmitted hepatitis viruses. Subsequently, 57 icterus patients were tested for various markers of hepatotropic viruses, i.e. anti-HEV IgM/IgG, anti-hepatitis A virus (anti-HAV) IgM/IgG antibodies and HEV RNA. Water samples were screened for HEV and HAV RNA followed by phylogenetic analysis. Results Overall, 48/57 patients availing municipal water had evidence of HEV infection, detected by serology and RT-PCR. All the water samples tested positive for HEV and HAV RNA, while the patients were negative for anti-HAV IgM antibody, indicating no recent HAV infection. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed the aetiological agent of the current outbreak to be HEV genotype 1. Conclusions Serology and RT-PCR confirmed HEV as the aetiology of the outbreak. The absence of new cases of hepatitis A, despite the presence of HAV in the water supply, could be due to previously acquired immunity. Sewage contamination of water leading to faecal-oral transmission of HEV still remains a concern, thus emphasising the need for a vaccination/control strategy.

Download Full-text

Characterization of a Strain of Infectious Hepatitis E Virus Isolated from Sewage in an Area where Hepatitis E Is Not Endemic

Applied and Environmental Microbiology ◽

10.1128/aem.64.11.4485-4488.1998 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 64 (11) ◽

pp. 4485-4488 ◽

Cited By ~ 92

Author(s):

Sonia Pina ◽

Joan Jofre ◽

Suzanne U. Emerson ◽

Robert H. Purcell ◽

Rosina Girones

Keyword(s):

Sequence Analysis ◽

Positive Result ◽

Asian Indian ◽

Rhesus Monkeys ◽

Biochemical Parameters ◽

Hepatitis E Virus ◽

Hepatitis E ◽

Infectious Hepatitis ◽

Viral Particles

ABSTRACT Raw sewage samples from an area where hepatitis E is not endemic (Barcelona, Spain) were analyzed by reverse transcriptase-PCR followed by nested PCR. One of the 37 tested samples showed a positive result for hepatitis E virus (HEV). The detected strain was amplified by inoculation into rhesus monkeys, and the course of the infection was studied by analyzing serological and biochemical parameters and by monitoring the presence of HEV in serum and feces. Fecal suspensions from the rhesus monkeys were used as the source of viral particles for sequence analysis. Eighty percent of the genome of the isolated strain, named BCN, was sequenced and found to be phylogenetically related to Asian (Indian) strains, with a 98% nucleotide identity with an isolate from Madras, India. Since this was a single isolation we cannot conclude that HEV is regularly present in the sewage. However, the finding of viable HEV in sewage has implications for contamination of the environment and shellfish by HEV and must be considered in the diagnosis of viral hepatitis in regions of nonendemic hepatitis.

Download Full-text