Prevalence of antibody to hepatitis E virus among rodents in the United States.
The recent identification of antibody to hepatitis E virus (HEV) in pigs, sheep, and cattle and characterization of an HEV isolated from domestic pigs suggest animal reservoirs for this virus. To investigate whether rodents might be a natural reservoir of HEV, the prevalence of anti-HEV was determined among a variety of species throughout the United States. Serum samples were obtained from 806 rodents of 26 species in 15 genera. Anti-HEV prevalence was assessed by 2 EIAs (mosaic protein- and 55-kDa protein-based), which gave concordant results. The highest prevalence of antibody was found in the genus Rattus (59.7%; 166/278). Overall, rodents from urban habitats had a significantly higher prevalence of anti-HEV than did animals captured from rural areas. A high prevalence of anti-HEV was found in animals captured on mainland versus barrier islands. The results from this study provide convincing evidence of widespread HEV or HEV-like infection in rodents of the United States.
Favorov
M O
MO
Hepatitis Branch, National Center for Infectious Diseases, and Division of International Health, Epidemiology Program Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA. mof0@cdc.gov
Kosoy
M Y
MY
Tsarev
S A
SA
Childs
J E
JE
Margolis
H S
HS
D000818:Animals; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D018963:Hepatitis Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000276:immunology*; D015151:Immunoblotting; D015995:Prevalence; D051381:Rats; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D012377:Rodentia / Q000276:immunology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D018963:Hepatitis Antigens; D011994:Recombinant Proteins