title: Susceptibility of laboratory rats against genotypes 1, 3, 4, and rat hepatitis E viruses.
abstract: To determine whether or not rats are susceptible to hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection, each of group containing three laboratory rats (Wistar) were experimentally inoculated with genotypes 1, 3, 4 and rat HEV by intravenous injection. Serum and stool samples were collected and used to detect HEV RNA and anti-HEV antibodies by RT-PCR and ELISA, respectively. The virus infection was monitored up to 3 months after inoculation. None of the serum or stool samples collected from the rats inoculated with G1, G3, or G4 HEV indicated positive sign for virus replication. Although no alteration was observed in ALT level, rat HEV RNA was detected in stools from both of the rats inoculated with rat HEV, and both rats were positive for anti-rat HEV IgG and IgM from 3 weeks after inoculation. These results demonstrated that rats are susceptible to rat HEV but not to G1, G3, and G4 HEV. We also confirm that the nude rats were useful for obtaining a large amount of rat HEV and that the rat HEV was transmitted by the fecal-oral route.
authors: Department of Virology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Gakuen 4-7-1, Musashi-murayama, Tokyo 208-0011, Japan. litc@nih.go.jp
authors: Tian-Cheng
authors: TC
authors: Li
authors: Sayaka
authors: S
authors: Yoshizaki
authors: Yasushi
authors: Y
authors: Ami
authors: Yuriko
authors: Y
authors: Suzaki
authors: Shumpei P
authors: SP
authors: Yasuda
authors: Kumiko
authors: K
authors: Yoshimatsu
authors: Jiro
authors: J
authors: Arikawa
authors: Naokazu
authors: N
authors: Takeda
authors: Takaji
authors: T
authors: Wakita
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D004198:Disease Susceptibility / Q000821:virology*; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005838:Genotype; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology*; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013997:Time Factors; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral; D000410:Alanine Transaminase