title: Detection of hepatitis E virus in pork liver sausages.
abstract: Hepatitis E infection is regarded as an emerging public-health concern. The disease is normally self-limiting (mortality rate 1%), but chronic infections have recently been observed in transplanted patients. The etiological agent HEV is a small RNA virus infecting both humans and animals. In humans, the disease may be food-borne and pig is a main reservoir for zoonotic strains. In the present study, we evaluated the presence of HEV and swine fecal cross-contamination in pork liver sausages sold at a grocery store in Italy. HEV genome detection was performed by RT-qPCR, using harmonized protocols that included a process control (murine norovirus) and an internal amplification control. Swine fecal cross-contamination was assessed by determination of the ubiquitous porcine adenovirus. Overall, HEV genome belonging to genotype 3 was detected in both raw (10 out of 45 slices, 250 mg each, 22.2%) and dry (1 of 23 slices, 4.3%) liver sausages, but infectivity of the virus was not demonstrated. This pilot study fosters more investigations on HEV presence in pork-derived food, to assess the possible risk for the consumers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: ilaria.dibartolo@iss.it.
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Di Bartolo
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: giorgia.angeloni@yahoo.it.
authors.forename: Giorgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Angeloni
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: eleonora.ponterio@iss.it.
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ponterio
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano Emilia, BO, Italy. Electronic address: fabio.ostanello@unibo.it.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ostanello
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: franco.ruggeri@iss.it.
authors.forename: Franco Maria
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Ruggeri
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005516:Food Microbiology; D016679:Genome, Viral; D005838:Genotype; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007558:Italy; D008461:Meat Products / Q000821:virology*; D029322:Norovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013552:Swine
keywords: Foodborne; Hepatitis E; Murine norovirus; Porcine adenovirus; Real-time RT-PCR; Zoonosis