BACKGROUND: Swine hepatitis E virus (HEV) has a cross-reaction with human anti-HEV antibodies. Therefore, pigs could be an animal reservoir, rendering hepatitis E as a zoonosis. The spread of this infection among infected pigs across countries would be possible through trading. Previously, using an anti-human conjugate, we detected anti-HEV antobodies in adult pigs in Chile. AIM: To detect anti-HEV (ELISA) in a cohort of swine at different ages. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Two hundred pigs aged 42 to 360 days, divided in 20 groups of 10 animals were tested. Anti-HEV was detected by ELISA using anti-pig IgG horseradish peroxidase instead of anti-human conjugates. RESULTS: Anti-HEV were detected in one animal aged 90 days, two animals aged 120 days, one animal aged 260 days and 2 animals aged 360 days, five pregnant sows and two old hogs. This represents a total of 14 animals or 7% of the sample. CONCLUSIONS: There is a significant prevalence of anti-HEV in pigs from 90 days of birth, suggesting that these swine are a probable reservoir.
BACKGROUND:Swine hepatitis E virus (HEV) has a cross-reaction with human anti-HEV antibodies. Therefore, pigs could be an animal reservoir, rendering hepatitis E as a zoonosis. The spread of this infection among infected pigs across countries would be possible through trading. Previously, using an anti-human conjugate, we detected anti-HEV antobodies in adult pigs in Chile. AIM: To detect anti-HEV (ELISA) in a cohort of swine at different ages. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Two hundred pigs aged 42 to 360 days, divided in 20 groups of 10 animals were tested. Anti-HEV was detected by ELISA using anti-pig IgG horseradish peroxidase instead of anti-human conjugates. RESULTS: Anti-HEV were detected in one animal aged 90 days, two animals aged 120 days, one animal aged 260 days and 2 animals aged 360 days, five pregnant sows and two old hogs. This represents a total of 14 animals or 7% of the sample. CONCLUSIONS: There is a significant prevalence of anti-HEV in pigs from 90 days of birth, suggesting that these swine are a probable reservoir.
Authors: Julio Rendon; Maria Cristina Hoyos; Diana di Filippo; Fabian Cortes-Mancera; Carolina Mantilla; Maria Mercedes Velasquez; Maria Elsy Sepulveda; Juan Carlos Restrepo; Sergio Jaramillo; Maria Patricia Arbelaez; Gonzalo Correa; Maria-Cristina Navas Journal: PLoS One Date: 2016-02-17 Impact factor: 3.240