Detection of swine hepatitis E virus in the porcine hepatic lesion in Jeju Island.
Swine hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an emerging zoonotic pathogen due to its close genomic similarity to human HEV. The prevalence of swine HEV in the hepatic lesion of pigs from the Jeju Island was investigated by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). In total, 40 pigs with hepatitis lesions were selected from 19 different farms, based on examination by microscopy. RTPCR findings revealed swine HEV in 22 cases (55%), including 18 suckling pigs and 4 growing pigs. Several histopathological lesions, including multifocal lymphoplasmacytic hepatitis, portal inflammation, and focal hepatocellular necrosis, were observed in liver sections of swine HEV PCR-positive pigs. The present study suggests that the prevalence of swine HEV is very high in the pig population in Jeju Island, and that pigs are infected at early stages of growth (under 2 months of age). The high prevalence of swine HEV in pigs in Jeju Island and the ability of this virus to infect across species puts people with swine-associated occupations at possible risk of zoonotic infection.
Lee
Song Hak
SH
Department of Veterinary Medicine, Cheju National University, Jeju 690-756, Korea.
Kang
Sang Chul
SC
Kim
Dae Yong
DY
Bae
Jong Hee
JH
Kim
Jae Hoon
JH
D000818:Animals; D017931:DNA Primers; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000235:genetics*; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D015995:Prevalence; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000453:epidemiology*
D017931:DNA Primers