title: Rabbit hepatitis E virus is an opportunistic pathogen in specific-pathogen-free rabbits with the capability of cross-species transmission.
abstract: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) has been detected in rabbits, a recently identified natural reservoir. In this study, anti-HEV antibodies and viral RNA were detected in rabbits sourced from a specific-pathogen-free (SPF) rabbit vendor in Shaanxi Province, China. BLAST results of partial HEV ORF2 genes cloned here indicated that two viral strains circulated in the rabbits. Sequence determination of the complete genome (7302bp) of one strain and a partial ORF1 gene (1537bp) of the other strain showed that they shared 90% identity with one another and 78%-94% identity with other known rabbit HEVs. In addition, inoculation with rabbit HEV from SPF rabbits studied here resulted in infection of SPF pigs; this cross-species transmission was evidenced by seroconversion, viremia and faecal virus shedding. These results suggest that to prevent spread of this zoonotic pathogen, rabbits should be tested routinely for HEV RNA in SPF vendor facilities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China; Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Veterinary Pharmacology and Veterinary Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling, Shaanxi, China.
authors.forename: Baoyuan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China; Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Veterinary Pharmacology and Veterinary Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling, Shaanxi, China.
authors.forename: Yani
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China; Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Veterinary Pharmacology and Veterinary Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling, Shaanxi, China.
authors.forename: Taofeng
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Du
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China; Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Veterinary Pharmacology and Veterinary Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling, Shaanxi, China.
authors.forename: Yiyang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China; Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Veterinary Pharmacology and Veterinary Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling, Shaanxi, China.
authors.forename: Xinjie
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China; Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Veterinary Pharmacology and Veterinary Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling, Shaanxi, China.
authors.forename: Baicheng
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China; Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Veterinary Pharmacology and Veterinary Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling, Shaanxi, China.
authors.forename: Huixia
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China; Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Veterinary Pharmacology and Veterinary Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling, Shaanxi, China.
authors.forename: Yuchen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nan
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China; Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Veterinary Pharmacology and Veterinary Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling, Shaanxi, China.
authors.forename: Shuqi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agriculture University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450002, China.
authors.forename: Gaiping
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Infection Biology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L3 5RF, UK.
authors.forename: Julian A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Hiscox
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China; Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Veterinary Pharmacology and Veterinary Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling, Shaanxi, China. Electronic address: zhouem@nwsuaf.edu.cn.
authors.forename: En-Min
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China; Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Veterinary Pharmacology and Veterinary Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling, Shaanxi, China. Electronic address: qinzhao_2004@nwsuaf.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000662:veterinary / Q000821:virology; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005838:Genotype; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D011817:Rabbits / Q000821:virology*; D000069078:Seroconversion; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D014766:Viremia / Q000662:veterinary / Q000821:virology; D017201:Virus Shedding; D015047:Zoonoses
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral
keywords: Cross-species; HEV; Hepatitis E virus; Rabbit; Zoonosis