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Gherlan GS. Rocahepevirus ratti: An underrecognised cause of acute hepatitis. World J Hepatol 2024; 16:1084-1090. [PMID: 39221102 PMCID: PMC11362906 DOI: 10.4254/wjh.v16.i8.1084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2024] [Revised: 07/25/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Zoonoses are responsible for many of all emerging infectious diseases as well as for those already established. Rocahepevirus ratti is a rat-originated virus related to the hepatitis E virus (Paslahepevirus balayani) but highly divergent genetically from this, with a high cross-species infection potential and zoonotic transmission. It can infect humans, leading to acute hepatitis, and is primarily transmitted through the consumption of contaminated water. Rocahepevirus ratti was first discovered in Germany in 2010. The first human case was described in 2017 in Hong Kong in an immune-compromised patient. The first case of chronic infection with Rocahepevirus ratti was described in 2023. A meta-analysis based on 38 studies published between 2000 and 2023 identified 21 cases in humans described up to this date and 489 infections in different animals. Raising awareness regarding this virus is essential, as there are probably many cases that remain undiagnosed, and the virus even has the ability to produce chronic infections in selected patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- George S Gherlan
- Department of Infectious Diseases, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest 050474, Romania.
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Turlewicz-Podbielska H, Ruszkowski JJ, Wojciechowski J, Pomorska-Mól M. No evidence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection among pet cats and dogs, and low seroprevalence of hepatitis E virus among pet rabbits in Poland. Vet Res Commun 2024; 48:597-602. [PMID: 37740104 PMCID: PMC10811079 DOI: 10.1007/s11259-023-10223-w] [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: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
The seroprevalence of Paslahepevirus balayani genotype 3 (hepatitis E virus genotype 3 - HEV-3; Hepeviridae family, genus Paslahepevirus) in pet cats, dogs and rabbits was evaluated. Samples from cats and dogs were collected from three veterinary practices from various parts of Poland: Poznan (wielkopolskie voivodeship), Przemysl (podkarpackie voivodeship) and Lublin (lubelskie voivodeship). Samples from rabbits were collected in Poznan. In total, serum samples from 90 cats, 82 dogs and 71 rabbits were selected and tested for specific anti-HEV-3 immunoglobulin (IgG) antibodies using a commercial ELISA test. Pathogen seroprevalence among rabbits was calculated at a 95% confidence interval (CI) for each gender, age (up to 12 months, 1-3 years, 4-7 years and over 8 years), symptoms group (healthy, gastrointestinal disorders, other disorders) and compared with a chi-squared test. No anti-HEV-3 IgG antibodies were detected in any of the samples from cats and dogs. Anti-HEV-3 IgG antibodies were detected in 2.82% of the serum samples from rabbits (2/71; 95% CI: 0.78-9.70). No significant correlations between seropositivity and gender, age, and symptoms (p > 0.05) were observed in rabbits. Our findings indicate that pet rabbits in Poland are exposed to HEV-3, develop humoral response due to infection and might constitute a source for HEV-3 transmission to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Turlewicz-Podbielska
- Department of Preclinical Sciences and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animals Sciences, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wolynska 35, 60‑637, Poznan, Poland
| | - Jakub Jędrzej Ruszkowski
- Department of Animal Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animals Sciences, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71C, 60‑625, Poznan, Poland
| | | | - Małgorzata Pomorska-Mól
- Department of Preclinical Sciences and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animals Sciences, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wolynska 35, 60‑637, Poznan, Poland.
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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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Sayed IM, Abdelwahab SF. Is Hepatitis E Virus a Neglected or Emerging Pathogen in Egypt? Pathogens 2022; 11:1337. [PMID: 36422589 PMCID: PMC9697431 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11111337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Though Egypt ranks among the top countries for viral hepatitis and death-related liver disease, Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a neglected pathogen. Living in villages and rural communities with low sanitation, use of underground well water and contact with animals are the main risk factors for HEV infection. Domestic animals, especially ruminants and their edible products, are one source of infection. Contamination of water by either human or animal stools is the main route of infection. In addition, HEV either alone or in coinfection with other hepatotropic viruses has been recorded in Egyptian blood donors. HEV seropositivity among Egyptian villagers was 60-80%, especially in the first decade of life. Though HEV seropositivity is the highest among Egyptians, HEV infection is not routinely diagnosed in Egyptian hospitals. The initial manifestations of HEV among Egyptians is a subclinical infection, although progression to fulminant hepatic failure has been recorded. With the improvement in serological and molecular approaches and increasing research on HEV, it is becoming clear that HEV represents a threat for Egyptians and preventive measures should be considered to reduce the infection rate and possible complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ibrahim M. Sayed
- Department of Biomedical and Nutritional Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA 01854, USA
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut 71515, Egypt
| | - Sayed F. Abdelwahab
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia
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