title: Hepatitis E virus in pork production chain in Czech Republic, Italy, and Spain, 2010.
abstract: We evaluated the prevalence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) in the pork production chain in Czech Republic, Italy, and Spain during 2010. A total of 337 fecal, liver, and meat samples from animals at slaughterhouses were tested for HEV by real-time quantitative PCR. Overall, HEV was higher in Italy (53%) and Spain (39%) than in Czech Republic (7.5%). HEV was detected most frequently in feces in Italy (41%) and Spain (39%) and in liver (5%) and meat (2.5%) in Czech Republic. Of 313 sausages sampled at processing and point of sale, HEV was detected only in Spain (6%). HEV sequencing confirmed only g3 HEV strains. Indicator virus (porcine adenovirus) was ubiquitous in fecal samples and absent in liver samples and was detected in 1 slaughterhouse meat sample. At point of sale, we found porcine adenovirus in sausages (1%-2%). The possible dissemination of HEV and other fecal viruses through pork production demands containment measures.
authors: Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors: Ilaria
authors: I
authors: Di Bartolo
authors: Marta
authors: M
authors: Diez-Valcarce
authors: Petra
authors: P
authors: Vasickova
authors: Petr
authors: P
authors: Kralik
authors: Marta
authors: M
authors: Hernandez
authors: Giorgia
authors: G
authors: Angeloni
authors: Fabio
authors: F
authors: Ostanello
authors: Martijn
authors: M
authors: Bouwknegt
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Rodríguez-Lázaro
authors: Ivo
authors: I
authors: Pavlik
authors: Franco Maria
authors: FM
authors: Ruggeri
mesh_terms: D000003:Abattoirs; D000818:Animals; D018153:Czech Republic / Q000453:epidemiology; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005506:Food Contamination; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods*; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008099:Liver / Q000821:virology; D008460:Meat / Q000821:virology*; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013552:Swine / Q000821:virology*; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology