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

Diana Žele; Aline F Barry; Renate W Hakze-van der Honing; Gorazd Vengušt; Wim H M van der Poel

doi:10.1089/vbz.2015.1819

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

Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis. 2016 Jan;16(1):71-4. doi: 10.1089/vbz.2015.1819. Epub 2016 Jan 12.

Authors

Diana Žele¹, Aline F Barry², Renate W Hakze-van der Honing², Gorazd Vengušt¹, Wim H M van der Poel²

Affiliations

¹ 1 Institute for Breeding and Health Care of Wild Animals, Fishes and Bees, Veterinary Faculty University of Ljubljana , Ljubljana, Slovenia .
² 2 Central Veterinary Institute of Wageningen University and Research Centre , Lelystad, the Netherlands .

PMID: 26757050
DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2015.1819

Abstract

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.

Keywords: Hepatitis E; Hepatitis E virus; PCR; Serology; Slovenia; Wild boar.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

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*

Substances

Antibodies, Viral