Hepatitis E virus genotype 3 in echinoderms: First report of sea urchin (Paracentrotus lividus) contamination

Virucidal Activity of Lemon Juice Against Feline Calicivirus, Surrogate of Norovirus

Noroviruses are a major cause of acute gastroenteritis, often transmitted through contaminated food and water. In this study, lemon juice (LJ), rich in citric acid (CA) and flavonoids, was tested against Feline Calicivirus (FCV), used as a surrogate of human norovirus. Significant virucidal activity was observed for pure LJ (pH = 2.3), with a reduction in viral titers as high as 4.50 log10 TCID50/50 µL after 30 s and complete inactivation after 1 min. LJ also showed limited virucidal activity at a dilution of 1:2000 (pH = 6.7), with a reduction in viral titer of 0.75 log10 TCID50/50 µL. CA (at the same molarity as CA in pure LJ and adjusted to pH = 2.3) exhibited virucidal effects comparable to pure LJ, with a decrease in viral titers as high as 3.75 log10 TCID50/50 µL, whilst diluted CA (pH = 6.7) did not show significant effects. This study demonstrated the virucidal efficacy of LJ, suggesting the role of pH and, eventually, of LJ bioactive compounds against a norovirus surrogate. Due to its large use in food preparation, LJ has the potential to enhance the safety of raw food. Also, broader applications in personal hygiene and surface disinfection could be devised.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection among the Arab population in Northern Israel: an insight into the seroepidemiology and associated risk factors

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is one of the most common causes of viral hepatitis. We examined HEV seroprevalence and associations of sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics with HEV immunoglobulin G (IgG) seropositivity in the Arab population. A cross-sectional single-centre study was conducted among adults in the Nazareth area during 2022. Blood samples were tested using the Altona Real-Star HEV-RNA and the Wantai IgG assays. Data on sociodemographics, health status, and lifestyle were collected using structured questionnaires.Overall, 490 individuals (55.9% males) aged 18 - 96 (mean = 53.2, SD = 28.0) were enrolled. HEV IgG seropositivity was estimated at 21.4% (95% CI 17.9-25.3). No samples were HEV-RNA positive. The correlates of HEV IgG seropositivity were older age (prevalence ratio (PR) 1.07, 95% CI 1.04-1.09, P < 0.001) and consuming beef frequently (PR 2.81, 95% CI 1.40-5.63, P = 0.003). No associations were found between Arab religious groups (Muslim, Christian or Druze, representing different socioeconomic status and dietary habits) or pork consumption and HEV IgG seropositivity. In conclusion, HEV seropositivity was high in the Arab population, and assessing HEV in Ruminants, particularly cows, is warranted.

Hepatitis E Virus in the Iberian Peninsula: A Systematic Review

One of the most frequent causes of acute viral hepatitis is hepatitis E virus (HEV) causing 20 million infections worldwide each year and 44,000 deaths. Studies on HEV in the Iberian Peninsula have been increasing through time with HEV infection being identified in humans and animals. The aim of the present systematic review was to compile and evaluate all the published data on HEV from studies performed in humans, animals and environmental samples in the Iberian Peninsula. The electronic databases Mendeley, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were thoroughly searched, and research published up until February 01, 2023 were included. Resulting in a total of 151 eligible papers by full reading and application of PRISMA exclusion/inclusion criteria. Overall, the present review shows that several HEV genotypes, namely HEV-1, 3, 4, and 6 as well as Rocahepevirus, are circulating in humans, animals, and in the environment in the Iberian Peninsula. HEV-3 was the most common genotype circulating in humans in Portugal and Spain, as expected for developed countries, with HEV-1 only being detected in travelers and emigrants from HEV endemic regions. Spain is the biggest pork producer in Europe and given the high circulation of HEV in pigs, with HEV-3 being primarily associated to zoonotic transmission through consumption of swine meat and meat products, in our opinion, the introduction of an HEV surveillance system in swine and inclusion of HEV in diagnostic routines for acute and chronic human hepatitis would be important. Additionally, we propose that establishing a monitoring mechanism for HEV is crucial in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the prevalence of this illness and the various strains present in the Iberian Peninsula, as well as their potential impact on public health.

A One-Year Systematic Study to Assess the Microbiological Profile in Oysters from a Commercial Harvesting Area in Portugal

As filter-feeding animals farmed in water bodies exposed to anthropogenic influences, oysters can be both useful bioremediators and high-risk foodstuffs, considering that they are typically consumed raw. Understanding the dynamic of bacterial and viral load in Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) tissues, hemolymph, outer shell surface biofilm, and farming water is therefore of great importance for microbiological risk assessment. A one-year survey of oysters collected from a class B production area (Canal de Mira, on the Portuguese western coast) revealed that these bivalve mollusks have a good depurating capacity with regard to bacteria, as Salmonella spp. and viable enterococci were not detected in any oyster flesh (edible portion) samples, despite the fact that these bacteria have regularly been found in the farming waters. Furthermore, the level of Escherichia coli contamination was clearly below the legal limit in oysters reared in a class B area (>230-≤4600 MPN E. coli/100 g). On the contrary, norovirus was repeatedly detected in the digestive glands of oysters sampled in autumn, winter, and spring. However, their presence in farming waters was only detected during winter.

Hepatitis E Virus Infections in Free-Ranging and Captive Cetaceans, Spain, 2011-2022

Epidemiologic surveillance of hepatitis E virus in over 300 free-ranging and captive cetaceans in waters off Spain revealed extensive exposure to this pathogen. We suggest the persistent and widespread presence of hepatitis E in the marine environment off the coast of Spain may be driven by terrestrial sources of contamination.

Polymicrobial Interactions Operative during Pathogen Transmission

Pathogen transmission is a key point not only for infection control and public health interventions but also for understanding the selective pressures in pathogen evolution. The “success” of a pathogen lies not in its ability to cause signs and symptoms of illness but in its ability to be shed from the initial hosts, survive between hosts, and then establish infection in a new host. Recent insights have shown the importance of the interaction between the pathogen and both the commensal microbiome and coinfecting pathogens on shedding, environmental survival, and acquisition of infection. Pathogens have evolved in the context of cooperation and competition with other microbes, and the roles of these cooperations and competitions in transmission can inform novel preventative and therapeutic strategies.