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Shun EHK, Situ J, Tsoi JYH, Wu S, Cai J, Lo KHY, Chew NFS, Li Z, Poon RWS, Teng JLL, Cheng VCC, Yuen KY, Sridhar S. Rat hepatitis E virus (Rocahepevirus ratti) exposure in cats and dogs, Hong Kong. Emerg Microbes Infect 2024; 13:2337671. [PMID: 38551320 PMCID: PMC11018080 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2024.2337671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) variants infecting humans belong to two species: Paslahepevirus balayani (bHEV) and Rocahepevirus ratti (rat hepatitis E virus; rHEV). R. ratti is a ubiquitous rodent pathogen that has recently been recognized to cause hepatitis in humans. Transmission routes of rHEV from rats to humans are currently unknown. In this study, we examined rHEV exposure in cats and dogs to determine if they are potential reservoirs of this emerging human pathogen. Virus-like particle-based IgG enzymatic immunoassays (EIAs) capable of differentiating rHEV & bHEV antibody profiles and rHEV-specific real-time RT-PCR assays were used for this purpose. The EIAs could detect bHEV and rHEV patient-derived IgG spiked in dog and cat sera. Sera from 751 companion dogs and 130 companion cats in Hong Kong were tested with these IgG enzymatic immunoassays (EIAs). Overall, 13/751 (1.7%) dogs and 5/130 (3.8%) cats were sero-reactive to HEV. 9/751 (1.2%) dogs and 2/130 (1.5%) cats tested positive for rHEV IgG, which was further confirmed by rHEV immunoblots. Most rHEV-seropositive animals were from areas in or adjacent to districts reporting human rHEV infection. Neither 881 companion animals nor 652 stray animals carried rHEV RNA in serum or rectal swabs. Therefore, we could not confirm a role for cats and dogs in transmitting rHEV to humans. Further work is required to understand the reasons for low-level seropositivity in these animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Estie Hon-Kiu Shun
- Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jianwen Situ
- Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, People’s Republic of China
| | - James Yiu-Hung Tsoi
- Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shusheng Wu
- Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jianpiao Cai
- Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, People’s Republic of China
| | - Kelvin Hon-Yin Lo
- Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, People’s Republic of China
| | - Nicholas Foo-Siong Chew
- Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhiyu Li
- Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, People’s Republic of China
| | - Rosana Wing-Shan Poon
- Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jade Lee-Lee Teng
- Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Vincent Chi-Chung Cheng
- Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, People’s Republic of China
| | - Kwok-Yung Yuen
- Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, People’s Republic of China
- Centre for Virology, Vaccinology and Therapeutics, Health@InnoHK, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, People’s Republic of China
- Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, People’s Republic of China
| | - Siddharth Sridhar
- Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, People’s Republic of China
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Zahmanova G, Takova K, Lukov GL, Andonov A. Hepatitis E Virus in Domestic Ruminants and Virus Excretion in Milk-A Potential Source of Zoonotic HEV Infection. Viruses 2024; 16:684. [PMID: 38793568 PMCID: PMC11126035 DOI: 10.3390/v16050684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 04/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The hepatitis E virus is a serious health concern worldwide, with 20 million cases each year. Growing numbers of autochthonous HEV infections in industrialized nations are brought on via the zoonotic transmission of HEV genotypes 3 and 4. Pigs and wild boars are the main animal reservoirs of HEV and play the primary role in HEV transmission. Consumption of raw or undercooked pork meat and close contact with infected animals are the most common causes of hepatitis E infection in industrialized countries. However, during the past few years, mounting data describing HEV distribution has led experts to believe that additional animals, particularly domestic ruminant species (cow, goat, sheep, deer, buffalo, and yak), may also play a role in the spreading of HEV. Up to now, there have not been enough studies focused on HEV infections associated with animal milk and the impact that they could have on the epidemiology of HEV. This critical analysis discusses the role of domestic ruminants in zoonotic HEV transmissions. More specifically, we focus on concerns related to milk safety, the role of mixed farming in cross-species HEV infections, and what potential consequences these may have on public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gergana Zahmanova
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Plovdiv, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
- Department of Technology Transfer and IP Management, Center of Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Katerina Takova
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Plovdiv, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Georgi L. Lukov
- Faculty of Sciences, Brigham Young University–Hawaii, Laie, HI 96762, USA
| | - Anton Andonov
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada;
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Shafat Z, Islam A, Parveen S. Amino acid pattern reveals multi-functionality of ORF3 protein from HEV. Bioinformation 2024; 20:121-135. [PMID: 38497081 PMCID: PMC10941781 DOI: 10.6026/973206300200121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The smallest open reading frame (ORF) encoded protein ORF3 of hepatitis E virus (HEV), recently, has been demonstrated to perform multiple functions besides accessory roles. ORF3 could act as a target for vaccine against HEV infections. The IDR (intrinsically disordered region); IDP (ID protein)/IDPR (ID protein region), plays critical role in various regulatory functions of viruses. The dark proteome of HEV-ORF3 protein including its structure and function was systematically examined by computer predictors to explicate its role in viral pathogenesis and drug resistance beyond its functions as accessory viral protein. Amino acid distribution showed ORF3 enrichment with disorder-promoting residues (Ala, Pro, Ser, Gly) while deficiency in order-promoting residues (Asn, Ile, Phe, Tyr and Trp). Initial investigation revealed ORF3 as IDP (entirely disordered protein) or IDPR (proteins consisting of IDRs with structured globular domains). Structural examination revealed preponderance of disordered regions interpreting ORF3 as moderately/highly disordered protein. Further disorder predictors categorized ORF3 as highly disordered protein/IDP. Identified sites and associated-crucial molecular functions revealed ORF3 involvement in diverse biological processes, substantiating them as targets of regulation. As ORF3 functions are yet to completely explored, thus, data on its disorderness could help in elucidating its disorder related functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoya Shafat
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Asimul Islam
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Shama Parveen
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
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Turlewicz-Podbielska H, Augustyniak A, Wojciechowski J, Pomorska-Mól M. Hepatitis E Virus in Livestock-Update on Its Epidemiology and Risk of Infection to Humans. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3239. [PMID: 37893962 PMCID: PMC10603682 DOI: 10.3390/ani13203239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a public health problem worldwide and an important food pathogen known for its zoonotic potential. Increasing numbers of infection cases with human HEV are caused by the zoonotic transmission of genotypes 3 and 4, mainly by consuming contaminated, undercooked or raw porcine meat. Pigs are the main reservoir of HEV. However, it should be noted that other animal species, such as cattle, sheep, goats, and rabbits, may also be a source of infection for humans. Due to the detection of HEV RNA in the milk and tissues of cattle, the consumption of infected uncooked milk and meat or offal from these species also poses a potential risk of zoonotic HEV infections. Poultry infected by avian HEV may also develop symptomatic disease, although avian HEV is not considered a zoonotic pathogen. HEV infection has a worldwide distribution with different prevalence rates depending on the affected animal species, sampling region, or breeding system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Turlewicz-Podbielska
- Department of Preclinical Sciences and Infectious Diseases, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wolynska 35, 60-637 Poznan, Poland; (H.T.-P.); (A.A.)
| | - Agata Augustyniak
- Department of Preclinical Sciences and Infectious Diseases, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wolynska 35, 60-637 Poznan, Poland; (H.T.-P.); (A.A.)
| | | | - Małgorzata Pomorska-Mól
- Department of Preclinical Sciences and Infectious Diseases, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wolynska 35, 60-637 Poznan, Poland; (H.T.-P.); (A.A.)
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Agabou A, Benaissa MH, Bouasla I, De Sabato L, Hireche S, Ianiro G, Monini M, Di Bartolo I. First serological and molecular investigation of hepatitis E virus infection in dromedary camels in Algeria. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1272250. [PMID: 37795011 PMCID: PMC10546018 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1272250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis E is an acute self-limited or fulminant infection in humans, caused by the hepatitis E virus (HEV). This member of the Hepeviridae family has been identified in a wide range of domestic and wild animals all over the world, with a possible transmission to humans through fecal oral route, direct contact and ingestion of contaminated meat products, making it one of the global zoonotic and public health major concerns. Since there is no monitoring program and a lack of data on HEV in animals in Algeria, the current preliminary survey has been undertaken to elucidate the exposure to the virus in camels at abattoirs of six southern provinces of Algeria. Two-hundred and eight sera/plasma were collected and analyzed (by double antigen sandwich ELISA) for the presence of total anti-HEV antibodies, among which 35.1% were positive, but no HEV RNA could be isolated from them (by two pan-HEV nested RT-PCR and broad range real-time reverse transcription RT-PCR). The univariate analysis showed significant associations (p < 0.05) between HEV seroprevalence and province of origin, age, and sex of camels, whereas the multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed a negative impact of camels' age on it. The obtained results confirm that HEV infection is widespread established in the camelid population of Algeria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Agabou
- PADESCA Research Laboratory, Institute of Veterinary Sciences, University Frères Mentouri Constantine 1, Constantine, Algeria
| | | | - Ilyes Bouasla
- PADESCA Research Laboratory, Institute of Veterinary Sciences, University Frères Mentouri Constantine 1, Constantine, Algeria
| | - Luca De Sabato
- Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Sana Hireche
- PADESCA Research Laboratory, Institute of Veterinary Sciences, University Frères Mentouri Constantine 1, Constantine, Algeria
| | - Giovanni Ianiro
- Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Marina Monini
- Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Ilaria Di Bartolo
- Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
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Tsachev I, Gospodinova K, Pepovich R, Takova K, Kundurzhiev T, Zahmanova G, Kaneva K, Baymakova M. First Insight into the Seroepidemiology of Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) in Dogs, Cats, Horses, Cattle, Sheep, and Goats from Bulgaria. Viruses 2023; 15:1594. [PMID: 37515279 PMCID: PMC10385379 DOI: 10.3390/v15071594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection has been found to be widespread among different animal species worldwide. In Bulgaria, high HEV seropositivity was found among pigs (60.3%), wild boars (40.8%), and East Balkan swine (82.5%). The aim of the present study was to establish the seroprevalence of HEV among dogs, cats, horses, cattle, sheep, and goats in Bulgaria. In total, 720 serum samples from six animal species were randomly collected: dogs-90 samples; cats-90; horses-180; cattle-180; sheep-90; and goats-90. The serum samples were collected from seven districts of the country: Burgas, Kardzhali, Pazardzhik, Plovdiv, Sliven, Smolyan, and Stara Zagora. The animal serum samples were tested for HEV antibodies using the commercial Wantai HEV-Ab ELISA kit (Beijing, China). The overall HEV seroprevalence among different animal species from Bulgaria was as follows: dogs-21.1%; cats-17.7%; horses-8.3%; cattle-7.7%; sheep-32.2%; and goats-24.4%. We found the lowest overall HEV seropositivity in Plovdiv district (6.2%; 4/64; p = 0.203) and Smolyan district (8.8%; 4/45; p = 0.129), vs. the highest in Pazardzhik district (21.6%; 29/134; p = 0.024) and Burgas district (28.8%; 26/90; p = 0.062). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first serological evidence of HEV infection in dogs, cats, horses, cattle, sheep, and goats from Bulgaria. We found high HEV seropositivity in small ruminants (sheep and goats), moderate seropositivity in pets (dogs and cats), and a low level of seropositivity in large animals (horses and cattle). Previous Bulgarian studies and the results of this research show that HEV infection is widespread among animals in our country. In this regard, the Bulgarian health authorities must carry out increased surveillance and control of HEV infection among animals in Bulgaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilia Tsachev
- Department of Microbiology, Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Trakia University, 6000 Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
| | - Krasimira Gospodinova
- Department of Microbiology, Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Trakia University, 6000 Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
| | - Roman Pepovich
- Department of Infectious Pathology, Hygiene, Technology and Control of Foods from Animal Origin, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Forestry, 1797 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Katerina Takova
- Department of Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology, University of Plovdiv, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Todor Kundurzhiev
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, Medical University, 1527 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Gergana Zahmanova
- Department of Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology, University of Plovdiv, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
- Department of Technology Transfer and IP Management, Center of Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Kristin Kaneva
- Department of Microbiology, Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Trakia University, 6000 Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
| | - Magdalena Baymakova
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Military Medical Academy, 1606 Sofia, Bulgaria
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Shafat Z, Ahmed A, Parvez MK, Parveen S. Intrinsic disorder in the open reading frame 2 of hepatitis E virus: a protein with multiple functions beyond viral capsid. J Genet Eng Biotechnol 2023; 21:33. [PMID: 36929465 PMCID: PMC10018590 DOI: 10.1186/s43141-023-00477-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the cause of a liver disease hepatitis E. The translation product of HEV ORF2 has recently been demonstrated as a protein involved in multiple functions besides performing its major role of a viral capsid. As intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) are linked to various essential roles in the virus's life cycle, we analyzed the disorder pattern distribution of the retrieved ORF2 protein sequences by employing different online predictors. Our findings might provide some clues on the disorder-based functions of ORF2 protein that possibly help us in understanding its behavior other than as a HEV capsid protein. RESULTS The modeled three dimensional (3D) structures of ORF2 showed the predominance of random coils or unstructured regions in addition to major secondary structure components (alpha helix and beta strand). After initial scrutinization, the predictors VLXT and VSL2 predicted ORF2 as a highly disordered protein while the predictors VL3 and DISOPRED3 predicted ORF2 as a moderately disordered protein, thus categorizing HEV-ORF2 into IDP (intrinsically disordered protein) or IDPR (intrinsically disordered protein region) respectively. Thus, our initial predicted disorderness in ORF2 protein 3D structures was in excellent agreement with their predicted disorder distribution patterns (evaluated through different predictors). The abundance of MoRFs (disorder-based protein binding sites) in ORF2 was observed that signified their interaction with binding partners which might further assist in viral infection. As IDPs/IDPRs are targets of regulation, we carried out the phosphorylation analysis to reveal the presence of post-translationally modified sites. Prevalence of several disordered-based phosphorylation sites further signified the involvement of ORF2 in diverse and significant biological processes. Furthermore, ORF2 structure-associated functions revealed its involvement in several crucial functions and biological processes like binding and catalytic activities. CONCLUSIONS The results predicted ORF2 as a protein with multiple functions besides its role as a capsid protein. Moreover, the occurrence of IDPR/IDP in ORF2 protein suggests that its disordered region might serve as novel drug targets via functioning as potential interacting domains. Our data collectively might provide significant implication in HEV vaccine search as disorderness in viral proteins is related to mechanisms involved in immune evasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoya Shafat
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Anwar Ahmed
- Centre of Excellence in Biotechnology Research, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammad K Parvez
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Shama Parveen
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India.
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Si F, Widén F, Dong S, Li Z. Hepatitis E as a Zoonosis. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2023; 1417:49-58. [PMID: 37223858 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-99-1304-6_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Hepatitis E viruses in the family of Hepeviridae have been classified into 2 genus, 5 species, and 13 genotypes, involving different animal hosts of different habitats. Among all these genotypes, four (genotypes 3, 4, 7, and C1) of them are confirmed zoonotic causing sporadic human diseases, two (genotypes 5 and 8) were likely zoonotic showing experimental animal infections, and the other seven were not zoonotic or unconfirmed. These zoonotic HEV carrying hosts include pig, boar, deer, rabbit, camel, and rat. Taxonomically, all the zoonotic HEVs belong to the genus Orthohepevirus, which include genotypes 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 HEV in the species A and genotype C1 HEV in the species C. In the chapter, information of zoonotic HEV such as swine HEV (genotype 3 and 4), wild boar HEV (genotypes 3-6), rabbit HEV (genotype 3), camel HEV (genotype 7 and 8), and rat HEV (HEV-C1) was provided in detail. At the same time, their prevalence characteristics, transmission route, phylogenetic relationship, and detection technology were discussed. Other animal hosts of HEVs were introduced briefly in the chapter. All these information help peer researchers have basic understanding of zoonotic HEV and adopt reasonable strategy of surveillance and prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fusheng Si
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Frederik Widén
- The National Veterinary Institute (SVA), Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Shijuan Dong
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China.
| | - Zhen Li
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China.
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Current Knowledge of Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) Epidemiology in Ruminants. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11101124. [PMID: 36297181 PMCID: PMC9609093 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11101124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection represents an emerging public health concern worldwide. In industrialized countries, increasing numbers of autochthonous cases of human HEV infection are caused by zoonotic transmission of genotypes 3 and 4, mainly through the consumption of contaminated raw or undercooked meat of infected pigs and wild boars, which are considered the main reservoirs of HEV. However, in the last few years, accumulating evidence seems to indicate that several other animals, including different ruminant species, may harbor HEV. Understanding the impact of HEV infection in ruminants and identifying the risk factors affecting transmission among animals and to humans is critical in order to determine their role in the epidemiological cycle of HEV. In this review, we provide a summary of current knowledge on HEV ecology in ruminants. A growing body of evidence has revealed that these animal species may be potential important hosts of HEV, raising concerns about the possible implications for public health.
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Caballero‐Gómez J, Rivero‐Juarez A, Zorrilla I, López G, Nájera F, Ulrich RG, Ruiz‐Rubio C, Salcedo J, Rivero A, Paniagua J, García‐Bocanegra I. Hepatitis E virus in the endangered Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus). Transbound Emerg Dis 2022; 69:e2745-e2756. [PMID: 35690914 PMCID: PMC9796619 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an emerging zoonotic pathogen in Europe. In the Iberian Peninsula, wild boar (Sus scrofa) is considered the main wildlife reservoir of HEV. This wild ungulate shares habitat and resources with other potential HEV carriers in Iberian Mediterranean ecosystems, although information about the role of such sympatric species in the HEV epidemiological cycle is still very limited. The aims of the present large-scale, long-term study were: (1) to determine the seroprevalence and prevalence of HEV in both free-living and captive populations of the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus), the most endangered felid in the world; (2) to determine potential risk factors associated with HEV exposure in this species and (3) to evaluate the dynamics of seropositivity in longitudinally sampled animals during the study period. Between 2010 and 2021, serum samples from 275 Iberian lynxes were collected in free-ranging and captive populations across the Iberian Peninsula. Forty-four of the 275 lynxes were also longitudinally sampled during the study period. A double-antigen sandwich ELISA was used to test for the presence of antibodies against HEV. A subset of seropositive samples was analysed by Western blot (WB) assay to confirm exposure to HEV. In addition, serum, liver and/or faecal samples from 367 individuals were tested for orthohepevirus RNA by RT-PCR. A total of 50 (18.2%; 95% CI: 14.1-23.2) of the 275 animals analysed had anti-HEV antibodies by ELISA. Exposure to HEV was confirmed by WB in most of the ELISA-positive Iberian lynxes analysed. Significantly higher seroprevalence was found in captive (33.6%) compared to free-ranging (7.4%) individuals. Within captive population, the GEE model identified 'age' (senile, adult and subadult) as risk a factor potentially associated with HEV exposure in the Iberian lynx. Thirteen (29.5%) of 44 longitudinally surveyed individuals seroconverted against HEV during the study period. HEV RNA was detected in the faeces of one (1/364; 0.3%; 95% CI: 0.0-0.8) free-ranging adult animal sampled in 2021. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the sequenced strain belongs to HEV-3f subtype and shared a high nucleotide sequence identity (97-99.6%) with human HEV-3f sequences from Spain and France. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first survey study on HEV in the Iberian lynx and the first molecular report of HEV-A infection in free-ranging felines. Our results indicate high exposure to HEV-3 in Iberian lynx populations, particularly those kept in captivity. The serological results suggest widespread but not homogeneous circulation of HEV in Iberian lynx populations. Further studies are required to assess the epidemiological role of this endangered species as a potential spillover host of HEV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Caballero‐Gómez
- Grupo de Virología Clínica y Zoonosis, Unidad de Enfermedades InfecciosasInstituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba (IMIBIC)Hospital Universitario Reina SofíaUniversidad de CórdobaCórdobaSpain,Grupo de Investigación en Sanidad Animal y Zoonosis (GISAZ)Departamento de Sanidad AnimalUniversidad de CórdobaCórdobaSpain,CIBERINFEC, ISCIII – CIBER de Enfermedades InfecciosasInstituto de Salud Carlos IIIMadridSpain
| | - Antonio Rivero‐Juarez
- Grupo de Virología Clínica y Zoonosis, Unidad de Enfermedades InfecciosasInstituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba (IMIBIC)Hospital Universitario Reina SofíaUniversidad de CórdobaCórdobaSpain,CIBERINFEC, ISCIII – CIBER de Enfermedades InfecciosasInstituto de Salud Carlos IIIMadridSpain
| | - Irene Zorrilla
- Centro de Análisis y Diagnóstico de la Fauna SilvestreAgencia de Medio Ambiente y Agua de AndalucíaConsejería de Agricultura, GanaderíaPesca y Desarrollo Sostenible, Junta de AndalucíaMálagaSpain
| | - Guillermo López
- Centro de Análisis y Diagnóstico de la Fauna SilvestreAgencia de Medio Ambiente y Agua de AndalucíaConsejería de Agricultura, GanaderíaPesca y Desarrollo Sostenible, Junta de AndalucíaMálagaSpain
| | - Fernando Nájera
- Departamento de Fisiología AnimalFacultad de VeterinariaUniversidad Complutense de MadridMadridSpain,Asistencia Técnica de la Dirección General del Medio Natural y Desarrollo Sostenible de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla‐La ManchaToledoSpain
| | - Rainer G. Ulrich
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious DiseasesFriedrich‐Loeffler‐InstitutFederal Research Institute for Animal HealthGreifswald‐Insel RiemsGermany,German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF)Partner Site Hamburg‐Lübeck‐Borstel‐RiemsGreifswald‐Insel RiemsGermany
| | - Carmen Ruiz‐Rubio
- Centro de Análisis y Diagnóstico de la Fauna SilvestreAgencia de Medio Ambiente y Agua de AndalucíaConsejería de Agricultura, GanaderíaPesca y Desarrollo Sostenible, Junta de AndalucíaMálagaSpain
| | - Javier Salcedo
- Consejería de Agricultura, GanaderaPesca y Desarrollo Sostenible. Junta de AndalucíaSevillaSpain
| | - Antonio Rivero
- Grupo de Virología Clínica y Zoonosis, Unidad de Enfermedades InfecciosasInstituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba (IMIBIC)Hospital Universitario Reina SofíaUniversidad de CórdobaCórdobaSpain,CIBERINFEC, ISCIII – CIBER de Enfermedades InfecciosasInstituto de Salud Carlos IIIMadridSpain
| | - Jorge Paniagua
- Grupo de Investigación en Sanidad Animal y Zoonosis (GISAZ)Departamento de Sanidad AnimalUniversidad de CórdobaCórdobaSpain
| | - Ignacio García‐Bocanegra
- Grupo de Investigación en Sanidad Animal y Zoonosis (GISAZ)Departamento de Sanidad AnimalUniversidad de CórdobaCórdobaSpain,CIBERINFEC, ISCIII – CIBER de Enfermedades InfecciosasInstituto de Salud Carlos IIIMadridSpain,Unidad de Investigación Competitiva Zoonosis y Enfermedades Emergentes desde la Perspectiva de Una Salud (ENZOEM)Universidad de Córdoba, Campus de Rabanales, Edificio Sanidad AnimalCordobaSpain
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11
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Shafat Z, Ahmed A, Parvez MK, Parveen S. Decoding the codon usage patterns in Y-domain region of hepatitis E viruses. J Genet Eng Biotechnol 2022; 20:56. [PMID: 35404024 PMCID: PMC9001762 DOI: 10.1186/s43141-022-00319-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Background Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a positive-sense RNA virus belonging to the family Hepeviridae. The genome of HEV is organized into three open-reading frames (ORFs): ORF1, ORF2, and ORF3. The ORF1 non-structural Y-domain region (YDR) has been demonstrated to play an important role in the HEV pathogenesis. The nucleotide composition, synonymous codon usage bias in conjunction with other factors influencing the viral YDR genes of HEV have not been studied. Codon usage represents a significant mechanism in establishing the host-pathogen relationship. The present study for the first time elucidates the detailed codon usage patterns of YDR among HEV and HEV-hosts (Human, Rabbit, Mongoose, Pig, Wild boar, Camel, Monkey). Results The overall nucleotide composition revealed the abundance of C and U nucleotides in YDR genomes. The relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) analysis indicated biasness towards C and U over A and G ended codons in HEV across all hosts. Codon frequency comparative analyses among HEV-hosts showed both similarities and discrepancies in usage of preferred codons encoding amino acids, which revealed that HEV codon preference neither completely differed nor completely showed similarity with its hosts. Thus, our results clearly indicated that the synonymous codon usage of HEV is a mixture of the two types of codon usage: coincidence and antagonism. Mutation pressure from virus and natural selection from host seems to be accountable for shaping the codon usage patterns in YDR. The study emphasised that the influence of compositional constraints, codon usage biasness, mutational alongside the selective forces were reflected in the occurrence of YDR codon usage patterns. Conclusions Our study is the first in its kind to have reported the analysis of codon usage patterns on a total of seven different natural HEV hosts. Therefore, knowledge of preferred codons obtained from our study will not only augment our understanding towards molecular evolution but is also envisaged to provide insight into the efficient viral expression, viral adaptation, and host effects on the HEV YDR codon usage. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s43141-022-00319-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoya Shafat
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Anwar Ahmed
- Centre of Excellence in Biotechnology Research, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammad K Parvez
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Shama Parveen
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India.
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Hepatitis E virus genotype 3 in bovine livers slaughtered in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Braz J Microbiol 2022; 53:1115-1120. [PMID: 35355235 PMCID: PMC9433617 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-022-00741-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Foodborne viruses are becoming a global concern as they overwhelm the health system and have the potential to spread globally. Among them, some genotypes of hepatitis E virus (HEV), which is one of the main causes of acute hepatitis in humans, have a zoonotic potential and can be found in foods of animal origin. Infected farm animals are a possible source of the virus, either by direct contact with animal excreta or meat. In the present study, 240 bovine liver samples from slaughter carried out in Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil, were analyzed and tested for the presence of HEV. After performing PCR, 5.4% of positive samples were observed. One of the samples could be identified by molecular phylogenetic analysis as belonging to genotype 3, for which pigs are natural reservoirs, but has not been reported in bovine meat and products so far.
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Abstract
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a major cause of acute viral hepatitis in humans. A convenient small mammalian model for basic research and antiviral testing is still greatly needed. Although a small rodent, the Mongolian gerbil, was reported to be susceptible to swine genotype-4 HEV infection, whether the previous results were reliable and consistent needs to be validated by using biologically pure HEV stocks or infectious RNA. In this study, we revisited this gerbil infection model for human HEV of genotype 1, 3, or 4 (G1, G3, or G4) by HEV reverse genetics. Gerbils inoculated intrahepatically with capped G3 HEV RNA transcripts or intraperitoneally with infectious G3 cloned HEV produced robust infection, as evidenced by presence of HEV in livers, spleens, and feces for up to 7 weeks post inoculation, seroconversion, and pathological liver lesions. Furthermore, the value of the gerbil model in antiviral testing and type I IFN in host defense was assessed. We demonstrated the effectiveness of peg-IFNα-2a and ribavirin in inhibiting HEV replication in gerbils. By treatment with two molecule inhibitors of TBK1, we also revealed a role of RIG-I like receptor-interferon regulatory factor 3 in host anti-HEV innate immune sensing in this in vivo model. Finally, susceptibility of G4 HEV was demonstrated in intrahepatically inoculated gerbils with infectious HEV RNA transcripts, whereas no evidence for G1 HEV susceptibility was found. The availability of the convenient gerbil model will greatly facilitate HEV-specific antiviral development and assess the mechanism of host immune response during HEV infection. IMPORTANCE HEV infects >20 million people annually, causing acute viral hepatitis as well as chronic hepatitis, neurological diseases, and pregnancy-associated high mortality, which require therapeutic intervention. The HEV antiviral research is largely limited by the lack of a convenient small animal model. Here we revisit the Mongolian gerbil model for three genotypes of human HEV by infectious HEV clones and recognized standards of experimental procedures. Fecal virus shedding, seroconversion, and pathological liver lesions could be detected in HEV-inoculated gerbils. We demonstrate the effectiveness and usefulness of this model in testing antiviral drugs, and in assessing the mechanism of host innate immune response upon HEV infection. This conventional rodent model will aid in future antiviral development and delineating mechanism of host immune response.
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Tialla D, Cissé A, Ouédraogo GA, Hübschen JM, Tarnagda Z, Snoeck CJ. Prevalence of hepatitis E virus antibodies in cattle in Burkina Faso associated with swine mixed farming. J Vet Sci 2022; 23:e33. [PMID: 35332710 PMCID: PMC9149500 DOI: 10.4142/jvs.21235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Endemic circulation of human-specific hepatitis E virus (HEV) genotypes 1 and 2 may occult the importance of sporadic zoonotic HEV transmissions in Africa. Increasing numbers of studies reporting anti-HEV antibodies in cattle and the discovery of infectious HEV in cow milk has raised public health concern, but cattle exposure has seldom been investigated in Africa. Objectives This study aimed at investigating the role of cows in the epidemiology of HEV in Burkina Faso and farmers habits in terms of dairy product consumption as a prerequisite to estimate the risk of transmission to humans. Methods Sera from 475 cattle and 192 pigs were screened for the presence of anti-HEV antibodies while HEV RNA in swine stools was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Data on mixed farming, dairy product consumption and selling habits were gathered through questionnaires. Results The overall seroprevalence in cattle was 5.1% and herd seroprevalence reached 32.4% (11/34). Herd seropositivity was not associated with husbandry practice or presence of rabbits on the farms. However, herd seropositivity was associated with on-site presence of pigs, 80.7% of which had anti-HEV antibodies. The majority of farmers reported to preferentially consume raw milk based dairy products. Conclusions Concomitant presence of pigs on cattle farms constitutes a risk factor for HEV exposure of cattle. However, the risk of HEV infections associated with raw cow dairy product consumption is currently considered as low.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dieudonné Tialla
- Unit of Epidemic-Prone Diseases, Emerging Diseases and Zoonoses (UMEMEZ), National Influenza Reference Laboratory (LNR-G), Department of Biomedical and Public Health, Health Science Research Institute (IRSS), National Centre for Scientific and Technological Research (CNRST), Ouagadougou, 03 BP 7192, Burkina Faso
- Department Animal Health, National School of Animal Husbandry and Health (ENESA), Ouagadougou, Secteur 28, Burkina Faso
| | - Assana Cissé
- Unit of Epidemic-Prone Diseases, Emerging Diseases and Zoonoses (UMEMEZ), National Influenza Reference Laboratory (LNR-G), Department of Biomedical and Public Health, Health Science Research Institute (IRSS), National Centre for Scientific and Technological Research (CNRST), Ouagadougou, 03 BP 7192, Burkina Faso
| | - Georges Anicet Ouédraogo
- Laboratory of Research and Teaching in Health and Animal Biotechnology (LARESBA), University Nazi Boni, Bobo-Dioulasso, 01 BP 109, Burkina Faso
| | - Judith M. Hübschen
- Clinical and Applied Virology Group, Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), Esch-sur-Alzette, L-4354, Luxembourg
| | - Zékiba Tarnagda
- Unit of Epidemic-Prone Diseases, Emerging Diseases and Zoonoses (UMEMEZ), National Influenza Reference Laboratory (LNR-G), Department of Biomedical and Public Health, Health Science Research Institute (IRSS), National Centre for Scientific and Technological Research (CNRST), Ouagadougou, 03 BP 7192, Burkina Faso
| | - Chantal J. Snoeck
- Clinical and Applied Virology Group, Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), Esch-sur-Alzette, L-4354, Luxembourg
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15
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Sayed IM, El-Mokhtar MA. Are ruminants and their products potential sources of human hepatitis E virus infection? Future Virol 2021. [DOI: 10.2217/fvl-2021-0188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ibrahim M Sayed
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Mohamed A El-Mokhtar
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
- Microbiology and Immunology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Sphinx University, Assiut, Egypt
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16
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Shafat Z, Ahmed A, Parvez MK, Parveen S. Role of "dual-personality" fragments in HEV adaptation-analysis of Y-domain region. J Genet Eng Biotechnol 2021; 19:154. [PMID: 34637041 PMCID: PMC8511232 DOI: 10.1186/s43141-021-00238-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatitis E is a liver disease caused by the pathogen hepatitis E virus (HEV). The largest polyprotein open reading frame 1 (ORF1) contains a nonstructural Y-domain region (YDR) whose activity in HEV adaptation remains uncharted. The specific role of disordered regions in several nonstructural proteins has been demonstrated to participate in the multiplication and multiple regulatory functions of the viruses. Thus, intrinsic disorder of YDR including its structural and functional annotation was comprehensively studied by exploiting computational methodologies to delineate its role in viral adaptation. RESULTS Based on our findings, it was evident that YDR contains significantly higher levels of ordered regions with less prevalence of disordered residues. Sequence-based analysis of YDR revealed it as a "dual personality" (DP) protein due to the presence of both structured and unstructured (intrinsically disordered) regions. The evolution of YDR was shaped by pressures that lead towards predominance of both disordered and regularly folded amino acids (Ala, Arg, Gly, Ile, Leu, Phe, Pro, Ser, Tyr, Val). Additionally, the predominance of characteristic DP residues (Thr, Arg, Gly, and Pro) further showed the order as well as disorder characteristic possessed by YDR. The intrinsic disorder propensity analysis of YDR revealed it as a moderately disordered protein. All the YDR sequences consisted of molecular recognition features (MoRFs), i.e., intrinsic disorder-based protein-protein interaction (PPI) sites, in addition to several nucleotide-binding sites. Thus, the presence of molecular recognition (PPI, RNA binding, and DNA binding) signifies the YDR's interaction with specific partners, host membranes leading to further viral infection. The presence of various disordered-based phosphorylation sites further signifies the role of YDR in various biological processes. Furthermore, functional annotation of YDR revealed it as a multifunctional-associated protein, due to its susceptibility in binding to a wide range of ligands and involvement in various catalytic activities. CONCLUSIONS As DP are targets for regulation, thus, YDR contributes to cellular signaling processes through PPIs. As YDR is incompletely understood, therefore, our data on disorder-based function could help in better understanding its associated functions. Collectively, our novel data from this comprehensive investigation is the first attempt to delineate YDR role in the regulation and pathogenesis of HEV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoya Shafat
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Anwar Ahmed
- Centre of Excellence in Biotechnology Research, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammad K Parvez
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Shama Parveen
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India.
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Treagus S, Wright C, Baker-Austin C, Longdon B, Lowther J. The Foodborne Transmission of Hepatitis E Virus to Humans. FOOD AND ENVIRONMENTAL VIROLOGY 2021; 13:127-145. [PMID: 33738770 PMCID: PMC8116281 DOI: 10.1007/s12560-021-09461-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/16/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Globally, Hepatitis E virus (HEV) causes over 20 million cases worldwide. HEV is an emerging and endemic pathogen within economically developed countries, chiefly resulting from infections with genotype 3 (G3) HEV. G3 HEV is known to be a zoonotic pathogen, with a broad host range. The primary source of HEV within more economically developed countries is considered to be pigs, and consumption of pork products is a significant risk factor and known transmission route for the virus to humans. However, other foods have also been implicated in the transmission of HEV to humans. This review consolidates the information available regarding transmission of HEV and looks to identify gaps where further research is required to better understand how HEV is transmitted to humans through food.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Treagus
- Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, UK.
- Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Barrack Road, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 8UB, UK.
| | | | - Craig Baker-Austin
- Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Barrack Road, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 8UB, UK
| | - Ben Longdon
- Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, UK
| | - James Lowther
- Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Barrack Road, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 8UB, UK
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18
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Alvarado-Esquivel C, Gutierrez-Martinez VD, Ramirez-Valles EG, Sifuentes-Alvarez A. Hepatitis E Virus Infection and Butchers: A Case-Control Seroprevalence Study. Gastroenterology Res 2021; 14:96-103. [PMID: 34007351 PMCID: PMC8110237 DOI: 10.14740/gr1198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 07/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Very few case-control studies to assess the risk of hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection in meat workers have been published. Therefore, we sought to determine: 1) the association of HEV IgG seropositivity and the occupation of butcher; and 2) the sociodemographic, work, clinical and behavioral characteristics of butchers associated with HEV exposure. Methods We performed a case-control seroprevalence study of 101 butchers (mean age: 38.50 ± 12.52 years) and 101 age-, gender- and residence-matched control subjects of the general population. Anti-HEV IgG antibodies were determined using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunoassay. Bivariate and regression analyses were used to assess the association between HEV seropositivity and characteristics of butchers. Results Anti-HEV IgG antibodies were found in 18 (17.8%) of the 101 butchers and in 14 (13.9%) of the 101 control subjects (odds ratio (OR): 1.34; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.63 - 2.88; P = 0.44). Stratification by sex, age and area of residence (rural or urban) in cases and controls showed similar seroprevalences of HEV infection among groups. Bivariate analysis showed that HEV seroprevalence was associated with low education (up to 6 years), work place, seniority, eating while working, a history of raising farm animals and national trips. However, further analysis by logistic regression showed that only the variable of national trips was associated with HEV exposure (OR: 5.38; 95% CI: 1.02 - 28.16; P = 0.04). Concerning clinical characteristics of butchers, no association between HEV exposure and health status, history of surgery or blood transfusion was found. Conclusions Results from this first age-, gender- and residence-matched serosurvey of HEV infection in butchers in Mexico suggest that this population group does not have a higher risk for HEV infection than people from the general population. However, further studies to confirm the lack of association between HEV infection and the occupation of butcher are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cosme Alvarado-Esquivel
- Biomedical Research Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Nutrition, Juarez University of Durango State, Avenida Universidad S/N, 34000 Durango, Dgo, Mexico
| | | | - Eda Guadalupe Ramirez-Valles
- Faculty of Chemical Sciences, Juarez University of Durango State, Avenida Veterinarias S/N, 34120 Durango, Dgo, Mexico
| | - Antonio Sifuentes-Alvarez
- Biomedical Research Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Nutrition, Juarez University of Durango State, Avenida Universidad S/N, 34000 Durango, Dgo, Mexico
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19
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Caballero-Gómez J, García Bocanegra I, Rivero-Juárez A. Response to the Letter to the Editor concerning 'Absence of hepatitis E virus circulation in wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and Iberian hares (Lepus granatensis) in Mediterranean ecosystems in Spain' by Caballero-Gómez et al. (Transbound Emerg Dis; 2020: https://doi.org/10.1111/tbed.13478). Transbound Emerg Dis 2020; 67:1758-1760. [PMID: 32598556 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.13700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Javier Caballero-Gómez
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Universidad de Córdoba (UCO), Córdoba, Spain
- Unidad de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Grupo de Virología Clínica y Zoonosis, Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba (IMIBIC), Hospital Reina Sofía, Universidad de Córdoba (UCO), Córdoba, Spain
| | | | - Antonio Rivero-Juárez
- Unidad de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Grupo de Virología Clínica y Zoonosis, Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba (IMIBIC), Hospital Reina Sofía, Universidad de Córdoba (UCO), Córdoba, Spain
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20
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Olayinka A, Ifeorah IM, Omotosho O, Faleye TOC, Odukaye O, Bolaji O, Ibitoye I, Ope-Ewe O, Adewumi MO, Adeniji JA. A possible risk of environmental exposure to HEV in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. J Immunoassay Immunochem 2020; 41:875-884. [PMID: 32787711 DOI: 10.1080/15321819.2020.1804933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is both a major public health concern and emerging global health concern, with a documented incidence of 20 million, 3.4 million clinical cases, 70,000 deaths, and 3,000 stillbirths. The aetiologic agent, HEV is a primarily enterally transmitted hepatotropic virus. Fecal samples were collected from three selected pig farms across Ibadan, South-west Nigeria. Randomly picked samples were pooled per unit pen and fecal suspensions prepared were subjected to HEV Antigen (Ag) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Molecular probing was done by Reverse Transcription and nested polymerase reaction (RT-nPCR) and deep sequencing. Sequencing was done paired-end for 300 cycles using the HiSeq system. Overall farm prevalence of 66.7% (2/3) and prevalence at individual level of 13.2% (9/68) were recorded. All nine samples positive for the ELISA screen were negative when subjected to RT-nPCR assays. Further, on deep sequencing, no HEV genomic fragment was found in the sample using de-novo assembly. Findings suggest possibly inapparent HEV in the pigs studied or a yet to be identified protein with HEV-Ag cross-reactivity ability on ELISA, thus constituting a possible risk of exposure to HEV infection in the population. Consequently, we recommend prompt intervention to unravel the mystery and break the chain of transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adebowale Olayinka
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - I M Ifeorah
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences and Technology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
| | - Oladipo Omotosho
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - T O C Faleye
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.,Centre for Human Virology and Genomics, Department of Microbiology, Nigerian Institute for Medical Research, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Oladapo Odukaye
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Oluremi Bolaji
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria 6. Infectious Disease Institute, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, NigeriaInfectious Disease Institute, College of Medicine, Unive
| | - Ibipeju Ibitoye
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Oludayo Ope-Ewe
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - M O Adewumi
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.,WHO National Polio Laboratory, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - J A Adeniji
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.,WHO National Polio Laboratory, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
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Obaidat MM, Roess AA. Individual animal and herd level seroprevalence and risk factors of Hepatitis E in ruminants in Jordan. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2020; 81:104276. [PMID: 32147473 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2020.104276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2019] [Revised: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is zoonotic and endemic in several countries. There are no data on the farm level-prevalence and risk factors of HEV in ruminant farms in Jordan or elsewhere. This study aimed to estimate the seroprevalence and risk factors of HEV in ruminant farms in all regions of Jordan. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 460 apparently healthy ruminants from 115 (31 cow, 51 sheep and 33 goat) farms were tested for HEV antibodies using a double antigen sandwich enzyme linked immunosorbent test. A validated questionnaire was used to collect data on animal health and husbandry practices. RESULTS The results showed that 37.4% of the dairy farms under study (51.6%, 37.2% and 24.2% of dairy cow, sheep and goat farms; respectively) had at least one HEV seropositive animal. At the individual animal level, 12.1% of the tested animals were HEV positive; 14.5% (n = 18), 12.7% (n = 26) and 8.3% (n = 11) of cows, sheep and goats; respectively. Infrequent cleaning of feeders was associated with a significantly greater odds of HEV seropositivity in both large and small dairy ruminant farms (AOR = 16.0, p-val = 0.03, AOR = 3.4, p-val = 0.02, respectively). Farms which reported that small ruminants (sheep and goats) were mixed together had a greater odds of farm-level HEV seroprevalence (AOR = 3.1, p-val = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS This study shows widespread and high farm-level HEV seroprevalence in dairy farms in Jordan. Husbandry practices and off-abattoir carcass processing in Jordan could amplify emergence and transmission of zoonotic HEV. Future studies should include HEV genotyping in ruminants, their products and humans to better understand HEV epidemiology in Jordan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad M Obaidat
- Department of Veterinary Pathology and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan.
| | - Amira A Roess
- Department of Global Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA; Department of Global and Community Health, College of Health and Human Services, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
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Ouoba JB, Traore KA, Rouamba H, Setondji KVM, Minoungou GL, Ouoba BL, Ouedraogo A, Moctar S, M'Bengue AK, Kakou SN, Doumbia M, Traore AS, Roques P, Barro N. Prevalence of anti-hepatitis E virus antibodies in domestic animal from three representative provinces of Burkina Faso. Vet Anim Sci 2019; 7:100059. [PMID: 32734080 PMCID: PMC7386747 DOI: 10.1016/j.vas.2019.100059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2019] [Revised: 05/19/2019] [Accepted: 05/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Four major genotypes of Hepatitis E virus (HEV) have been documented worldwide (1-4) with genotypes 1 and 2 found in human in Sub-Saharan Africa. Human Hepatitis cases due to HEV genotype 3 and 4 are zoonotic with various animal identified as possible reservoirs. Recently, HEV genotype 3 was found in pigs and human beings in West Africa, which may change the epidemic in human. Here, we assessed the prevalence of HEV antibodies in various domestic and wild mammalians in Burkina Faso. Random sampling was performed between 2015 and 2017 to collect serum from 100 rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), 19 hares (Lepus africana), 72 cattle (Bos taurus), 75 sheep (Ovis aries) and 81 goats (Capra aegagrus) in three provinces in Burkina Faso. A multi-species ELISA was performed on serum samples from 328 domestic animals and 19 hunting hares. HEV total antibodies were identified in 121 out of 347 specimens (34.9% CI95% [29.9-39.9]). Sera from rabbits (60% CI95% [50.4-69.6]), hares (52.6% CI95% [30.2-75.1]), cattle (26.4% CI95% [16.2-36.6]), sheep (12.0% CI95% [4.6-19.4]), and goats (28.4% CI95% [18.6-38.2]) tested positive for antibodies anti-HEV. In this study we evidence presence of HEV antibodies in various mammalians and highlight the importance of these species in the epidemiology of HEV infection in Burkina Faso.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Bienvenue Ouoba
- Laboratoire d'Epidémiologie et de Surveillance des Agents transmissibles par les aliments et l'eau (LaBESTA) Centre de Recherche en Sciences Biologique Alimentaire Nutritionnelles (CRSBAN), Université Ouaga I, Pr Joseph KI-ZERBO, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.,Unité de sérologie bactérienne et virale, Institut Pasteur, Côte D'Ivoire
| | - Kuan Abdoulaye Traore
- Laboratoire d'Epidémiologie et de Surveillance des Agents transmissibles par les aliments et l'eau (LaBESTA) Centre de Recherche en Sciences Biologique Alimentaire Nutritionnelles (CRSBAN), Université Ouaga I, Pr Joseph KI-ZERBO, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.,Université Norbert ZONGO de Koudougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Hortense Rouamba
- Laboratoire d'Epidémiologie et de Surveillance des Agents transmissibles par les aliments et l'eau (LaBESTA) Centre de Recherche en Sciences Biologique Alimentaire Nutritionnelles (CRSBAN), Université Ouaga I, Pr Joseph KI-ZERBO, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.,Centre Médical de Samandin, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Komi Victor-Mari Setondji
- Laboratoire d'Epidémiologie et de Surveillance des Agents transmissibles par les aliments et l'eau (LaBESTA) Centre de Recherche en Sciences Biologique Alimentaire Nutritionnelles (CRSBAN), Université Ouaga I, Pr Joseph KI-ZERBO, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | | | | | | | - Sidi Moctar
- Laboratoire National d'Elevage (LNE), Burkina Faso
| | | | | | - Moussa Doumbia
- Unité de sérologie bactérienne et virale, Institut Pasteur, Côte D'Ivoire
| | - Alfred S Traore
- Laboratoire d'Epidémiologie et de Surveillance des Agents transmissibles par les aliments et l'eau (LaBESTA) Centre de Recherche en Sciences Biologique Alimentaire Nutritionnelles (CRSBAN), Université Ouaga I, Pr Joseph KI-ZERBO, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Pierre Roques
- IDMIT Département / IBFJ, CEA, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.,Immunology of Viral Infections and Autoimmune Diseases (IMVA), U1184, INSERM, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.,IMVA, Univ Paris-Sud, UMR1184, Saclay, France
| | - Nicolas Barro
- Laboratoire d'Epidémiologie et de Surveillance des Agents transmissibles par les aliments et l'eau (LaBESTA) Centre de Recherche en Sciences Biologique Alimentaire Nutritionnelles (CRSBAN), Université Ouaga I, Pr Joseph KI-ZERBO, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
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23
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Primadharsini PP, Nagashima S, Okamoto H. Genetic Variability and Evolution of Hepatitis E Virus. Viruses 2019; 11:E456. [PMID: 31109076 PMCID: PMC6563261 DOI: 10.3390/v11050456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2019] [Revised: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a single-stranded positive-sense RNA virus. HEV can cause both acute and chronic hepatitis, with the latter usually occurring in immunocompromised patients. Modes of transmission range from the classic fecal-oral route or zoonotic route, to relatively recently recognized but increasingly common routes, such as via the transfusion of blood products or organ transplantation. Extrahepatic manifestations, such as neurological, kidney and hematological abnormalities, have been documented in some limited cases, typically in patients with immune suppression. HEV has demonstrated extensive genomic diversity and a variety of HEV strains have been identified worldwide from human populations as well as growing numbers of animal species. The genetic variability and constant evolution of HEV contribute to its physiopathogenesis and adaptation to new hosts. This review describes the recent classification of the Hepeviridae family, global genotype distribution, clinical significance of HEV genotype and genomic variability and evolution of HEV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Putu Prathiwi Primadharsini
- Division of Virology, Department of Infection and Immunity, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine, Tochigi 329-0498, Japan.
| | - Shigeo Nagashima
- Division of Virology, Department of Infection and Immunity, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine, Tochigi 329-0498, Japan.
| | - Hiroaki Okamoto
- Division of Virology, Department of Infection and Immunity, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine, Tochigi 329-0498, Japan.
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24
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The Current Host Range of Hepatitis E Viruses. Viruses 2019; 11:v11050452. [PMID: 31108942 PMCID: PMC6563279 DOI: 10.3390/v11050452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2019] [Revised: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an emerging zoonotic pathogen transmitting both human to human via the fecal oral route and from animals to humans through feces, direct contact, and consumption of contaminated meat products. Understanding the host range of the virus is critical for determining where potential threats to human health may be emerging from and where potential reservoirs for viral persistence in the environment may be hiding. Initially thought to be a human specific disease endemic to developing countries, the identification of swine as a primary host for genotypes 3 and 4 HEV in industrialized countries has begun a long journey of discovering novel strains of HEV and their animal hosts. As we continue identifying new strains of HEV in disparate animal species, it is becoming abundantly clear that HEV has a broad host range and many of these HEV strains can cross between differing animal species. These cross-species transmitting strains pose many unique challenges to human health as they are often unrecognized as sources of viral transmission.
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25
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Meister TL, Bruening J, Todt D, Steinmann E. Cell culture systems for the study of hepatitis E virus. Antiviral Res 2019; 163:34-49. [PMID: 30653997 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2019.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2018] [Revised: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the causative agent of hepatitis E in humans and is the leading cause of enterically-transmitted viral hepatitis worldwide. Increasing numbers of HEV infections, together with no available specific anti-HEV treatment, contributes to the pathogen's major health burden. A robust cell culture system is required for virologic studies and the development of new antiviral drugs. Unfortunately, like other hepatitis viruses, HEV is difficult to propagate in conventional cell lines. Many different cell culture systems have been tested using various HEV strains, but viral replication usually progresses very slowly, and infection with low virion counts results in non-productive HEV replication. However, recent progress involving generation of cDNA clones and passaging primary patient isolates in distinct cell lines has improved in vitro HEV propagation. This review describes various approaches to cultivate HEV in cellular and animal models and how these systems are used to study HEV infections and evaluate anti-HEV drug candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toni L Meister
- Ruhr-University Bochum, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Molecular and Medical Virology, Bochum, Germany
| | - Janina Bruening
- Ruhr-University Bochum, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Molecular and Medical Virology, Bochum, Germany
| | - Daniel Todt
- Ruhr-University Bochum, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Molecular and Medical Virology, Bochum, Germany.
| | - Eike Steinmann
- Ruhr-University Bochum, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Molecular and Medical Virology, Bochum, Germany.
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