Mix-breeding with HEV-infected swine induced inapparent HEV infection in SPF rabbits.
Studies have shown that swine HEV (sHEV) and rabbit HEV (rHEV) can experimentally infect rabbits and swine, respectively. However, no published data have documented isolating sHEV strains from rabbits in natural environment so far. To clarify the possibility of natural cross-species transmission of sHEV to rabbits, the pigs with HEV infection were farmed along with SPF rabbits in the same enclosed space. Five of 10 rabbits had seroconversion for anti-HEV antibody from the third week after mix-breeding. However, HEV RNA remained undetectable in feces, serum, liver and bile of the ten rabbits; and no obvious elevation of ALT was observed. The results possibly suggested that sHEV might lead to an inapparent infection of SPF rabbits by fecal-oral route.
Department of Microbiology and Infectious Disease Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China.
Lin
L
Liu
Department of Microbiology and Infectious Disease Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China.
Lin
L
Wang
Department of Microbiology and Infectious Disease Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China.
Junke
J
Xia
Department of Microbiology and Infectious Disease Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China.
Yulin
Y
Zhang
Department of Microbiology and Infectious Disease Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China.
Hang
H
Zeng
Department of Microbiology and Infectious Disease Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China.
Peng
P
Liu
Department of Microbiology and Infectious Disease Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China.
Qinghua
Q
Zou
Department of Microbiology and Infectious Disease Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China.
Ling
L
Wang
Department of Microbiology and Infectious Disease Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China.
Hui
H
Zhuang
D000818:Animals; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000821:virology; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008099:Liver / Q000821:virology; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D011817:Rabbits; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral
cross-species transmission; hepatitis E virus; rabbit; swine; zoonosis