Characterization and zoonotic potential of endemic hepatitis E virus (HEV) strains in humans and animals in Hungary.
BACKGROUND
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a common cause of acute, fecally transmitted hepatitis in developing countries. Identification of HEV in indigenous human infection and in domestic pig raising the possibility that HEV infection is also a zoonosis.


OBJECTIVE
Molecular detection and epidemiology of HEV in humans (South-East Hungary) with acute hepatitis and in domestic (pig, cattle) and wild (boar and roe-deer) animals (countrywide) by ELISA and RT-PCR.


RESULTS
Between 2001 and 2006, a total of 116 (9.6%) of 1203 human sera were positive by HEV IgM ELISA and 13 (24.5%) of 53 samples were also confirmed by RT-PCR and sequencing. Forty-two (27.3%) of 154, 11 (34.4%) of 32 and 9 (12.2%) of 74 samples were RT-PCR-positive from swine (feces: 22.7%; liver: 30.8%), roe-deer (liver) and wild boar (liver), respectively. Except for an imported infection caused by genotype 1, 19 sequences (human: 12, swine: 4, roe-deer: 1, wild boar: 2) belong to genotype 3 HEV. Genetically identical strains were detected in human and roe-deer and in 2 other human clusters.


CONCLUSIONS
HEV is an endemic agent in Hungary. Consumption of raw or undercooked meat-products is one of the possible sources of the indigenous HEV infections. Cross-species infection with genotype 3 HEV potentially involves a food-borne transmission route in Hungary.
Reuter
Gábor
G
Regional Laboratory of Virology, ANTSZ Regional Institute of State Public Health Service, Pécs, Hungary. reuter.gabor@baranya.antsz.hu
Fodor
Domonka
D
Forgách
Petra
P
Kátai
Andrea
A
Szucs
György
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic / Q000821:virology; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000821:virology; D002417:Cattle; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary / Q000453:epidemiology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013552:Swine / Q000821:virology; D055815:Young Adult; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D012367:RNA, Viral