title: Detection and characterization of hepatitis E virus in domestic pigs of different ages in Portugal.
abstract: This study represents the primary hepatitis E virus (HEV) surveillance in domestic pigs in Portugal, five pig farms were investigated in 5 different Portuguese regions, ten faecal samples were collected at four different stages of the production. All faecal samples were tested for hepatitis E virus by real-time RT-PCR. At least one sample from each farms of all age groups tested positive for HEV. The prevalence in the pig herds varied from 10% to 30% and the mean prevalence was 32% in weaners, 20% in growers, 32% in fatteners and 4% in adult dry sows. Phylogenetic analysis of the detected HEV sequences indicated that the circulating virus strains belong under the genotype 3.
authors.affiliation: Central Veterinary Institute, Emerging and Zoonotic Viruses, Department of Virology, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Lelystad, The Netherlands. alessandra.berto@live.com
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berto
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Mesquita
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hakze-van der Honing
authors.forename: M S J
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.forename: W H M
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: van der Poel
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000818:Animals; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008297:Male; D010802:Phylogeny; D011174:Portugal / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D034421:Sus scrofa; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology; D015047:Zoonoses
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral