Detection of Hepatitis E virus (HEV) Infection in Farm Pigs, Zoo Animals and Environmental Rodents in Taiwan
Date Issued
2007
Date
2007
Author(s)
Chen, Pei-Ching
DOI
zh-TW
Abstract
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the major cause of enterically transmitted non-A, non-B hepatitis in many developing countries and is also endemic in many industrialized countries. The recent discovery of HEV in domestic pigs and wild animals in United States and Japan, respectively, has suggested that HEV may be an important zoonotic issue in Taiwan. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate HEV infection in farm pigs, zoo animals and environmental rodents in Taiwan. Between 2006 and 2007, we collected 17 serum samples, 136 liver samples, 102 bile samples and 104 fecal samples from pig farms; 13 liver samples of primates, 52 mammals' liver samples, 45 reptiles' liver samples and 34 avian liver samples from Taipei city zoo and 14 liver samples from environmental rodents. HEV RNA was detected by reverse transcriptase nested polymerase chain reaction (RT nested-PCR) from homogenates of the samples. HEV positive signals were detected in 7 of 134 (5.22%) liver samples, 2 of 95 (2.11%) bile samples and 7 of 70 (10.00%) fecal samples from pig farms. The porcine serum samples and all liver samples from zoo animal and environmental rodent were all negative. The highest HEV positive rate (9.65%) was in pigs of 4 to 9 weeks age, followed by 6.67% and 4.26% in pigs of 9 to 16 weeks and 0 to 4 weeks age, respectively; and none in pigs older than 16 weeks age. The identity of nucleotide sequences of PCR products was 80.8%∼93.7% between swine and human HEV strains in Taiwan, 84.0%~88.9% between genotype 4 strains from different countries, and 66.6%∼68.6% and 71.8%∼76.3% between genotype 2 and genotype 3 strains. By in-situ hybridization (ISH) and immunohistochemistry (IHC), the positive signals were detected in cytoplasm of hepatocytes and kupffer cells. In addition, the positive signals were also detected on the luminal surface of bile epithelial cells by IHC. The HEV infections of pigs in Taiwan are confirmed in this study. The most susceptible age is from 4 to 9 weeks old. Besides, the result of sequence analysis also supports that HEV of Taiwan isolated belongs to an unique local or regional strain.
Subjects
E型肝炎病毒
Hepatitis E virus
SDGs
Type
thesis
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