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Molini U, Franzo G, de Villiers L, van Zyl L, de Villiers M, Khaiseb S, Busch F, Knauf S, Dietze K, Eiden M. Serological survey on Hepatitis E virus in Namibian dogs, cats, horses, and donkeys. Front Vet Sci 2024; 11:1422001. [PMID: 39091395 PMCID: PMC11292797 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1422001] [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: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The present study investigated the seropositivity rate of Hepatitis E virus (HEV) in domestic and working animals in Namibia, which included dogs, cats, horses, and donkeys. HEV poses a growing threat as a significant cause of human hepatitis globally and has several genotypes of varying zoonotic potential. As epidemiological data on the seroprevalence of HEV in Namibia is scarce, a serosurvey was conducted on archived serum samples of 374 dogs, 238 cats, 98 horses, and 60 donkeys collected between 2018 and 2022 from different regions, to assess the potential of these animals as sources of HEV infection. The findings revealed that 10.43% (n = 39/374) canine and 5.88% (n = 14/238) feline samples tested positive for HEV antibodies, whereas no seropositivity was detected in horses and donkeys. The study further examined the risk factors associated with HEV seropositivity, including animal sex, age, and geographical region, and noted a higher prevalence in dogs living in areas with intensive pig farming. Although there is no direct evidence indicating that these animals served as major reservoirs for HEV transmission to humans, the study underscores the importance of preventive measures to minimize contact exposure with pets considering the potential zoonotic risk, especially for susceptible risk groups. Further research is needed to explore the zoonotic potential of domestic animals and the epidemiological links between animal and human HEV transmissions in Namibia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Umberto Molini
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia
- Central Veterinary Laboratory (CVL), Windhoek, Namibia
| | - Giovanni Franzo
- Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, Legnaro, Italy
| | - Lourens de Villiers
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia
| | - Leandra van Zyl
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia
| | - Mari de Villiers
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia
| | | | - Frank Busch
- Institute of International Animal Health/One Health, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald – Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Sascha Knauf
- Institute of International Animal Health/One Health, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald – Insel Riems, Germany
- One Health/International Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Klaas Dietze
- Institute of International Animal Health/One Health, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald – Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Martin Eiden
- Institute for Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
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Shahini E, Argentiero A, Andriano A, Losito F, Maida M, Facciorusso A, Cozzolongo R, Villa E. Hepatitis E Virus: What More Do We Need to Know? MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2024; 60:998. [PMID: 38929615 PMCID: PMC11205503 DOI: 10.3390/medicina60060998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2024] [Revised: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is typically a self-limiting, acute illness that spreads through the gastrointestinal tract but replicates in the liver. However, chronic infections are possible in immunocompromised individuals. The HEV virion has two shapes: exosome-like membrane-associated quasi-enveloped virions (eHEV) found in circulating blood or in the supernatant of infected cell cultures and non-enveloped virions ("naked") found in infected hosts' feces and bile to mediate inter-host transmission. Although HEV is mainly spread via enteric routes, it is unclear how it penetrates the gut wall to reach the portal bloodstream. Both virion types are infectious, but they infect cells in different ways. To develop personalized treatment/prevention strategies and reduce HEV impact on public health, it is necessary to decipher the entry mechanism for both virion types using robust cell culture and animal models. The contemporary knowledge of the cell entry mechanism for these two HEV virions as possible therapeutic target candidates is summarized in this narrative review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Endrit Shahini
- Gastroenterology Unit, National Institute of Gastroenterology-IRCCS “Saverio de Bellis”, Castellana Grotte, 70013 Bari, Italy; (F.L.); (R.C.)
| | | | - Alessandro Andriano
- Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area, University of Bari Aldo Moro Medical School, 70124 Bari, Italy;
| | - Francesco Losito
- Gastroenterology Unit, National Institute of Gastroenterology-IRCCS “Saverio de Bellis”, Castellana Grotte, 70013 Bari, Italy; (F.L.); (R.C.)
| | - Marcello Maida
- Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit, S. Elia-Raimondi Hospital, 93100 Caltanissetta, Italy;
| | - Antonio Facciorusso
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy;
| | - Raffaele Cozzolongo
- Gastroenterology Unit, National Institute of Gastroenterology-IRCCS “Saverio de Bellis”, Castellana Grotte, 70013 Bari, Italy; (F.L.); (R.C.)
| | - Erica Villa
- Gastroenterology Unit, CHIMOMO Department, University of Modena & Reggio Emilia, Via del Pozzo 71, 41121 Modena, Italy
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Alexandrova R, Tsachev I, Kirov P, Abudalleh A, Hristov H, Zhivkova T, Dyakova L, Baymakova M. Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) Infection Among Immunocompromised Individuals: A Brief Narrative Review. Infect Drug Resist 2024; 17:1021-1040. [PMID: 38505248 PMCID: PMC10948336 DOI: 10.2147/idr.s449221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a single-stranded positive-sense RNA virus that belongs to Hepeviridae family. HEV is the most common cause of acute viral hepatitis worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are estimated 20 million HEV infections worldwide every year, leading to estimated 3.3 million symptomatic cases of HEV infection. The WHO estimates that HEV infection caused approximately 44,000 deaths in 2015, which represents 3.3% of mortality rates due to viral hepatitis. In low-income (LI) countries and lower-middle-income (LMI) countries, HEV is a waterborne infection induced by HEV genotype (gt) 1 and HEV gt 2 that cause large outbreaks and affect young individuals with a high mortality rate in pregnant women from South Asian countries and patients with liver diseases. HEV gt 3, HEV gt 4, and HEV gt 7 are responsible for sporadic infections with zoonotic transmission mainly through the consumption of raw or undercooked meat from different animals. Acute HEV infection is relatively asymptomatic or mild clinical form, in rare cases the disease can be moderate/severe clinical forms and result in fulminant hepatitis or acute liver failure (ALF). Furthermore, HEV infection is associated with extrahepatic manifestations, including renal and neurological clinical signs and symptoms. Pregnant women, infants, older people, immunocompromised individuals, patients with comorbidities, and workers who come into close contact with HEV-infected animals are recognized as major risk groups for severe clinical form of HEV infection and fatal outcome. Chronic HEV infection can occur in immunocompromised individuals with the possibility of progression to cirrhosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radostina Alexandrova
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Experimental Morphology, Pathology and Anthropology with Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Ilia Tsachev
- Department of Microbiology, Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Trakia University, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
| | - Plamen Kirov
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Experimental Morphology, Pathology and Anthropology with Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Abedulkadir Abudalleh
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Experimental Morphology, Pathology and Anthropology with Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Hristo Hristov
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Experimental Morphology, Pathology and Anthropology with Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Tanya Zhivkova
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Experimental Morphology, Pathology and Anthropology with Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Lora Dyakova
- Department of Synaptic Signaling and Communication, Institute of Neurobiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Magdalena Baymakova
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Military Medical Academy, Sofia, Bulgaria
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Benavent S, Carlos S, Reina G. Rocahepevirus ratti as an Emerging Cause of Acute Hepatitis Worldwide. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2996. [PMID: 38138140 PMCID: PMC10745784 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11122996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a widespread human infection that causes mainly acute infection and can evolve to a chronic manifestation in immunocompromised individuals. In addition to the common strains of hepatitis E virus (HEV-A), known as Paslahepevirus balayani, pathogenic to humans, a genetically highly divergent rat origin hepevirus (RHEV) can cause hepatitis possessing a potential risk of cross-species infection and zoonotic transmission. Rocahepevirus ratti, formerly known as Orthohepevirus C, is a single-stranded RNA virus, recently reassigned to Rocahepevirus genus in the Hepeviridae family, including genotypes C1 and C2. RHEV primarily infects rats but has been identified as a rodent zoonotic virus capable of infecting humans through the consumption of contaminated food or water, causing both acute and chronic hepatitis cases in both animals and humans. This review compiles data concluding that 60% (295/489) of RHEV infections are found in Asia, being the continent with the highest zoonotic and transmission potential. Asia not only has the most animal cases but also 16 out of 21 human infections worldwide. Europe follows with 26% (128/489) of RHEV infections in animals, resulting in four human cases out of twenty-one globally. Phylogenetic analysis and genomic sequencing will be employed to gather global data, determine epidemiology, and assess geographical distribution. This information will enhance diagnostic accuracy, pathogenesis understanding, and help prevent cross-species transmission, particularly to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Benavent
- Microbiology Department, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain; (S.B.); (G.R.)
| | - Silvia Carlos
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Universidad de Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
- IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Gabriel Reina
- Microbiology Department, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain; (S.B.); (G.R.)
- IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
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5
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El-Mokhtar MA, Elkhawaga AA, Ahmed MSH, El-Sabaa EMW, Mosa AA, Abdelmohsen AS, Moussa AM, Salama EH, Aboulfotuh S, Ashmawy AM, Seddik AI, Sayed IM, Ramadan HKA. High Incidence of Acute Liver Failure among Patients in Egypt Coinfected with Hepatitis A and Hepatitis E Viruses. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2898. [PMID: 38138042 PMCID: PMC10745896 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11122898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis A virus (HAV) and Hepatitis E virus (HEV) are transmitted through the fecal-oral route. HAV outbreaks and one HEV outbreak have been reported in Egypt. However, the impact of HAV-HEV co-infection is not known. In this study, we assessed HEV markers in acute HAV-infected patients (n = 57) enrolled in Assiut University hospitals. We found that 36.8% of HAV-infected patients were also positive for HEV markers (anti-HEV IgM and HEV RNA), while 63.2% of the patients were HAV mono-infected. Demographic and clinical criteria were comparable in both HAV mono-infected patients and HAV-HEV co-infected patients. Although liver enzymes were not significantly different between the two groups, liver transaminases were higher in the co-infected patients. Six patients developed acute liver failure (ALF); five of them were HAV-HEV-co-infected patients. The relative risk of ALF development was 8.5 times higher in HAV-HEV co-infection compared to mono-infection. Three cases of ALF caused by HAV-HEV co-infection were reported in children (below 18 years) and two cases were reported in adults. All patients developed jaundice, coagulopathy, and encephalopathy; all were living in rural communities. In conclusion: HAV-HEV co-infection can be complicated by ALF. The risk of ALF development in HAV-infected patients is higher when coinfection with HEV is present.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed A. El-Mokhtar
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut 71515, Egypt
- Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine, Lebanese American University, Byblos P.O. Box 36, Lebanon
| | - Amal A. Elkhawaga
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut 71515, Egypt
| | - Mona Sedky Hussein Ahmed
- Molecular Biology Researches & Studies Institute (MBRSI), Assiut University, Assiut 71515, Egypt
| | - Ehsan M. W. El-Sabaa
- Microbiology and Immunology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University, Assiut 71515, Egypt
| | - Aliaa A. Mosa
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut 71515, Egypt
| | - Ahmed Shawkat Abdelmohsen
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut 71515, Egypt
| | - Abdelmajeed M. Moussa
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Aswan University, Aswan 81528, Egypt
| | - Eman H. Salama
- Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Sohag 82524, Egypt
| | - Sahar Aboulfotuh
- Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Sohag 82524, Egypt
| | - Ahmed M. Ashmawy
- Department of Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology and Hepatology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut 71515, Egypt
| | - Ahmed Ismail Seddik
- Pediatric Department, Faculty of Medicine, Aswan University, Aswan 81528, Egypt
| | - Ibrahim M. Sayed
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut 71515, Egypt
| | - Haidi Karam-Allah Ramadan
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut 71515, Egypt
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Arce LP, Pavan MF, Bok M, Gutiérrez SE, Estein SM, Santos AT, Condorí WE, Uhart MM, Parreño V, Vizoso-Pinto MG, Ibañez LI. A multispecies competitive nanobody-based ELISA for the detection of antibodies against hepatitis E virus. Sci Rep 2023; 13:15448. [PMID: 37723180 PMCID: PMC10507121 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-41955-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an emergent zoonotic virus causing viral hepatitis worldwide. Clinically, hepatitis E is not easily distinguished from other types of acute viral hepatitis. There is a need for HEV diagnostic assays to detect and prevent interspecies transmission among susceptible populations. Nanobodies (Nbs) are expressed recombinantly in different systems, produced with high yields, and have superior physicochemical properties compared with conventional antibodies (Ab). Several Nbs against ORF2, the capsid protein and main antigen, were selected and produced in E. coli. Nb39 and Nb74 specifically recognized HEV ORF2 (genotypes 3 and 4). A competitive ELISA (cELISA) was developed and validated using a reference panel of human (n = 86) and swine sera (n = 116) tested in comparison with a commercial kit. The optimal cutoff values determined by ROC analysis were 69.16% (human) and 58.76% (swine); the sensitivity and specificity were high: 97.4% (95% CI 86.5-99.5%) and 95.8% (95% CI 86.0-98.8%) for human vs. 100% (95% CI 93.5-100%) and 98.3% (95% CI 91.0-99.7%) for swine. Further, the cELISA detected total anti-HEV antibodies in wild boar, deer, and mice. To our knowledge, this is the first report of production of Nbs against HEV-3 ORF2 for diagnostic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorena Paola Arce
- Infection Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas (INSIBIO), CONICET-UNT, T4000ILI, Tucumán, Argentina
- Laboratorio de Ingeniería de Anticuerpos, Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medio ambiente y Energía (INQUIMAE-CONICET), C1428EGA, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Florencia Pavan
- Laboratorio de Ingeniería de Anticuerpos, Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medio ambiente y Energía (INQUIMAE-CONICET), C1428EGA, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marina Bok
- IncuINTA, Instituto de Virología, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), 1686, Husrlingham, Argentina
| | - Silvina Elena Gutiérrez
- Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Núcleo SAMP, Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil (UNCPBA-CICPBA-CONICET), B7000GHG, Tandil, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Silvia Marcela Estein
- Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Núcleo SAMP, Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil (UNCPBA-CICPBA-CONICET), B7000GHG, Tandil, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Agostina Tammone Santos
- Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Núcleo SAMP, Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil (UNCPBA-CICPBA-CONICET), B7000GHG, Tandil, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Walter Ezequiel Condorí
- Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Núcleo SAMP, Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil (UNCPBA-CICPBA-CONICET), B7000GHG, Tandil, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marcela María Uhart
- One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Viviana Parreño
- IncuINTA, Instituto de Virología, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), 1686, Husrlingham, Argentina
| | - María Guadalupe Vizoso-Pinto
- Infection Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas (INSIBIO), CONICET-UNT, T4000ILI, Tucumán, Argentina.
| | - Lorena Itatí Ibañez
- Laboratorio de Ingeniería de Anticuerpos, Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medio ambiente y Energía (INQUIMAE-CONICET), C1428EGA, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Khuroo MS. Discovery of Hepatitis E and Its Impact on Global Health: A Journey of 44 Years about an Incredible Human-Interest Story. Viruses 2023; 15:1745. [PMID: 37632090 PMCID: PMC10459142 DOI: 10.3390/v15081745] [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: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The story of the discovery of hepatitis E originated in the late 1970s with my extreme belief that there was a hidden saga in the relationship between jaundice and pregnancy in developing countries and the opportunity for a massive epidemic of viral hepatitis, which hit the Gulmarg Kashmir region in November 1978. Based on data collected from a door-to-door survey, the existence of a new disease, epidemic non-A, non-B hepatitis, caused by a hitherto unknown hepatitis virus, was announced. This news was received by the world community with hype and skepticism. In the early 1980s, the world watched in awe as an extreme example of human self-experimentation led to the identification of VLP. In 1990, a cDNA clone from the virus responsible for epidemic non-A, non-B hepatitis was isolated. Over the years, we traversed three eras of ambiguity, hope, and hype of hepatitis E research and conducted several seminal studies to understand the biology of HEV and manifestations of hepatitis E. Many milestones have been reached on the long and winding road of hepatitis E research to understand the structure, biology, and diversity of the agent, changing the behavior of the pathogen in developed countries, and the discovery of a highly effective vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Sultan Khuroo
- Digestive Diseases Centre, Dr. Khuroo's Medical Clinic, Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir 190010, India
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Golkocheva-Markova E, Ismailova C, Kevorkyan A, Raycheva R, Zhelyazkova S, Kotsev S, Pishmisheva M, Rangelova V, Stoyanova A, Yoncheva V, Tenev T, Gladnishka T, Trifonova I, Christova I, Dimitrov R, Bruni R, Ciccaglione AR. Age and Gender Trends in the Prevalence of Markers for Hepatitis E Virus Exposure in the Heterogeneous Bulgarian Population. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:1345. [PMID: 37374127 DOI: 10.3390/life13061345] [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: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) in the Bulgarian population remains underestimated. The aim of the present study was to evaluate age and gender trends in HEV prevalence in the heterogeneous Bulgarian population. Stored serum samples from blood donors and different patient sub-populations-kidney recipients (KR), patients with Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), Lyme disease (LD), patients with liver involvement and a clinical diagnosis other than viral hepatitis A and E (non-AE), hemodialysis (HD) and HIV-positive patients (HIV)-were retrospectively investigated for markers of past and recent/ongoing HEV infection. The estimated overall seroprevalence of past infection was 10.6%, ranging from 5.9% to 24.5% for the sub-populations evaluated, while the seroprevalence of recent/ongoing HEV infection was 7.5%, ranging from 2.1% to 20.4%. The analysis of the individual sub-populations showed a different prevalence with respect to sex. In regard to age, the cohort effect was preserved, as a multimodal pattern was observed only for the GBS sub-population. Molecular analysis revealed HEV 3f and 3e. The type of the population is one of the main factors on which the anti-HEV prevalence depends, highlighting the need for the development of guidelines related to the detection and diagnosis of HEV infection with regard to specific patient populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elitsa Golkocheva-Markova
- NRL Hepatitis Viruses, Department of Virology, National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, 1504 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Chiydem Ismailova
- NRL Hepatitis Viruses, Department of Virology, National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, 1504 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Ani Kevorkyan
- Department of Epidemiology and Disaster Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, Medical University, 4002 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Ralitsa Raycheva
- Department of Social Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Public Health, Medical University, 4002 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Sashka Zhelyazkova
- Clinic of Nervous Diseases, University Hospital "Alexandrovska", Medical University, 1431 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Stanislav Kotsev
- Department Infectious Diseases, Regional Hospital, 4400 Pazardzhik, Bulgaria
| | - Maria Pishmisheva
- Department Infectious Diseases, Regional Hospital, 4400 Pazardzhik, Bulgaria
| | - Vanya Rangelova
- Department of Epidemiology and Disaster Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, Medical University, 4002 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Asya Stoyanova
- NRL Enteroviruses, Department of Virology, National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, 1504 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Viliana Yoncheva
- NRL Hepatitis Viruses, Department of Virology, National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, 1504 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Tencho Tenev
- NRL Hepatitis Viruses, Department of Virology, National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, 1504 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Teodora Gladnishka
- NRL of Vector-Borne Infections, Listeria and Leptospires, Department of Microbiology, National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, 1504 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Iva Trifonova
- NRL of Vector-Borne Infections, Listeria and Leptospires, Department of Microbiology, National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, 1504 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Iva Christova
- NRL of Vector-Borne Infections, Listeria and Leptospires, Department of Microbiology, National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, 1504 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Roumen Dimitrov
- Institute of Mathematics and Informatics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Roberto Bruni
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy
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Detection of Hepatitis E Virus Genotype 3 in Feces of Capybaras (Hydrochoeris hydrochaeris) in Brazil. Viruses 2023; 15:v15020335. [PMID: 36851548 PMCID: PMC9959927 DOI: 10.3390/v15020335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an emerging zoonotic pathogen associated with relevant public health issues. The aim of this study was to investigate HEV presence in free-living capybaras inhabiting urban parks in São Paulo state, Brazil. Molecular characterization of HEV positive samples was undertaken to elucidate the genetic diversity of the virus in these animals. A total of 337 fecal samples were screened for HEV using RT-qPCR and further confirmed by conventional nested RT-PCR. HEV genotype and subtype were determined using Sanger and next-generation sequencing. HEV was detected in one specimen (0.3%) and assigned as HEV-3f. The IAL-HEV_921 HEV-3f strain showed a close relationship to European swine, wild boar and human strains (90.7-93.2% nt), suggesting an interspecies transmission. Molecular epidemiology of HEV is poorly investigated in Brazil; subtype 3f has been reported in swine. This is the first report of HEV detected in capybara stool samples worldwide.
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