title: Evaluation of hepatitis E virus infection between different production systems of pigs in Brazil.
abstract: The objectives of this study were to (1) investigate the occurrence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) in pigs from large-scale and family-scale farms, (2) genetically characterize the strains isolated, and (3) study the pathogenesis of swine HEV infection via immunohistochemistry. A total of 50 pigs from 10 farms in Mato Grosso State, Brazil were divided according to type of production system into either large-scale farms (n = 5) or family-scale farms (n = 5). Samples of liver, gallbladder, small and large intestines, bile, and feces from the pigs were analyzed by nested PCR with primers targeting the ORF2 region of HEV and by immunohistochemistry. Of the eight HEV-positive samples from pigs of family-scale farms, phylogenetic analysis revealed that seven of the swine HEV isolates clustered with subtype 3b of genotype 3 and one isolate was categorized with subtype 3 f. The HEV antigen was detected mainly in the small intestine samples from family-scale farms, suggesting an early stage HEV infection. HEV was not detected in the samples of pigs from large-scale farms, reinforcing the need for additional studies to evaluate the risk of transmission of HEV to humans from pigs from family-scale farms in Mato Grosso State.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT), Av. Fernando Corrêa da Costa, 2367. Bairro Boa Esperança, CEP 78069-900, Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marconni Victor
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: da Costa Lana
authors.forename: Noemi Rovaris
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Gardinali
authors.forename: Raquel Aparecida Sales
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: da Cruz
authors.forename: Letícya Lerner
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.forename: Gustavo Sousa
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: João Garcia
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Caramori Júnior
authors.forename: Anderson Castro Soares
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.forename: Marcos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Almeida Souza
authors.forename: Edson Moleta
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Colodel
authors.forename: Amauri Alcindo
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Alfieri
authors.forename: Caroline Argenta
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Pescador
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005838:Genotype; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral