Presence of hepatitis E virus in a naturally infected swine herd from nursery to slaughter.
Hepatitis E virus has recently been recognized as having zoonotic potential and could be transmitted from pig to human. Pigs are identified as a potential animal reservoir and HEV is highly prevalent in the swine population around the world. In this study, the presence of HEV was investigated in 51 subjects reared on a simulated commercial farm setting from the age of 2 weeks up to slaughter. Samples were collected on four occasions: at 2, 8, and 18 weeks and between 22-29 weeks of age. Anti-HEV IgG in plasma samples, presence of HEV RNA in plasma samples and feces were monitored. At 2 weeks of age, HEV RNA was detected in feces of 6 subjects (11.8%) but not in their plasma. At 8 weeks, HEV was detected in feces of 27 subjects (52.9%) and in plasma of one subject. At 18 weeks, HEV was detected in feces of 44 subjects (86.2%) and in plasma of 24 subjects (47.1%). At slaughter time (22-29 weeks), HEV was present in plasma of 6 subjects (11.8%) and in stools of 21 subjects (41.2%). Spread of the virus inside the population was evaluated by comparison of means (paired t-test, P<0.05) of anti-HEV IgG ELISA results from the 4 bleedings. Significant differences were noted between the results of populations at 8 and 18 weeks and also between 18 and 22 to 29 weeks indicating an immune response to the virus. Based on the comparison of a 304 nucleotides sequence of the 5' ORF 2 gene, all amplified fragments clustered in genotype 3a.
Leblanc
Danielle
D
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Food Research and Development Centre, 3600 Casavant Blvd. West, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada J2S 8E3.
Ward
Pierre
P
Gagné
Marie-Josée
MJ
Poitras
Elyse
E
Müller
Peter
P
Trottier
Yvon-Louis
YL
Simard
Carole
C
Houde
Alain
A
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000662:veterinary; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis; D005516:Food Microbiology; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission* / Q000662:veterinary*; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008460:Meat / Q000821:virology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D015047:Zoonoses
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D012367:RNA, Viral