title: Assessment of cross-species transmission of hepatitis C virus-related non-primate hepacivirus in a population of humans at high risk of exposure.
abstract: The recent discovery of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related viruses in different animal species has raised new speculations regarding the origin of HCV and the possibility of a zoonotic source responsible for the endemic HCV transmission. As a consequence, these new findings prompt questions regarding the potential for cross-species transmissions of hepaciviruses. The closest relatives to HCV discovered to date are the non-primate hepaciviruses (NPHVs), which have been described to infect horses. To evaluate the risk of a potential zoonotic transmission, we analysed NPHV RNA and antibodies in humans with occupational exposure to horses in comparison with a low-risk group. Both groups were negative for NPHV RNA, even though low seroreactivities against various NPHV antigens could be detected irrespective of the group. In conclusion, we did not observe evidence of NPHV transmission between horses and humans.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Experimental Virology, Twincore - Centre of Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Feodor-Lynen-Str. 7, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pfaender
authors.affiliation: Institute of Experimental Virology, Twincore - Centre of Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Feodor-Lynen-Str. 7, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Walter
authors.affiliation: Institute of Experimental Virology, Twincore - Centre of Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Feodor-Lynen-Str. 7, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Todt
authors.affiliation: Institute of Experimental Virology, Twincore - Centre of Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Feodor-Lynen-Str. 7, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Behrendt
authors.affiliation: Institute of Experimental Virology, Twincore - Centre of Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Feodor-Lynen-Str. 7, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Juliane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Doerrbecker
authors.affiliation: Institute of Virology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.|LADR Medical Laboratory Dr Kramer & Colleagues, Geesthacht, Germany.
authors.forename: Benno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wölk
authors.affiliation: Institute of Experimental Virology, Twincore - Centre of Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Feodor-Lynen-Str. 7, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Engelmann
authors.affiliation: German Red Cross Blood Service NSTOB, Institute Springe, Springe, Germany.
authors.forename: Ute
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Gravemann
authors.affiliation: German Red Cross Blood Service NSTOB, Institute Springe, Springe, Germany.
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Seltsam
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Joerg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Steinmann
authors.affiliation: Dental Clinical Research Core, National Institute of Dental Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Peter D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Burbelo
authors.affiliation: Bioinformatics and Statistics Research Group, Department of Cellular Proteomics, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Braunschweig, Germany.|Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences, Department of Computer Science, Wolfenbuettel, Germany.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Klawonn
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Karsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Feige
authors.affiliation: Institute of Experimental Virology, Twincore - Centre of Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Feodor-Lynen-Str. 7, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pietschmann
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Jessika-M V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Cavalleri
authors.affiliation: Institute of Experimental Virology, Twincore - Centre of Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Feodor-Lynen-Str. 7, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Eike
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Steinmann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology*; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology*; D006736:Horses; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D010802:Phylogeny; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology