Prevalence of Anti-Hepatitis E Virus Antibodies and First Detection of Hepatitis E Virus in Wild Boar in Slovenia

Hepatitis E is an emerging zoonotic disease caused by hepatitis E virus (HEV). In this study, we investigated HEV presence in a wild boar (Sus scrofa) population of Slovenia. A total of 288 wild boar serum samples were collected throughout the country, and HEV infection was investigated by serology,...

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Published inVector borne and zoonotic diseases (Larchmont, N.Y.) Vol. 16; no. 1; p. 71
Main Authors Žele, Diana, Barry, Aline F, Hakze-van der Honing, Renate W, Vengušt, Gorazd, van der Poel, Wim H M
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.01.2016
Subjects
Animals
Antibodies, Viral - blood
Hepatitis E - epidemiology
Hepatitis E - veterinary
Hepatitis E - virology
Hepatitis E virus - immunology
Slovenia - epidemiology
Sus scrofa
Swine
Swine Diseases - virology
Hepatitis E
Serology
Slovenia
Hepatitis E virus
PCR
Wild boar
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Summary:Hepatitis E is an emerging zoonotic disease caused by hepatitis E virus (HEV). In this study, we investigated HEV presence in a wild boar (Sus scrofa) population of Slovenia. A total of 288 wild boar serum samples were collected throughout the country, and HEV infection was investigated by serology, using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and by HEV RNA detection using a real-time PCR assay. Antibodies against HEV were detected in 30.2% (87/288) of animals tested, whereas HEV RNA was detected in only one sample. This is the first evidence of HEV presence in the wild boar population in Slovenia, and these results suggest that these animals are part of the HEV epidemiological cycle in the country.
ISSN:1557-7759
DOI:10.1089/vbz.2015.1819