Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, University of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss-Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
J Clin Virol. 2011 Sep;52(1):50-4. doi: 10.1016/j.jcv.2011.06.006. Epub 2011 Jul 13.
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) has been identified as an emerging cause of infectious hepatitis over the last years in developed countries. In contrast to travel associated hepatitis E, zoonotic sources of infection are suspected for autochthonous cases in Europe.
Since pigs are known reservoirs of HEV, we tested porcine livers sold as food in Southeastern Germany for the presence of hepatitis E virus RNA.
We purchased 200 porcine liver samples in 81 butcher shops and grocery stores in Regensburg, Germany. Nucleic acid preparations were tested for the presence of HEV RNA by quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR). HEV isolates from positive samples were characterized by partial sequencing of ORF1 and ORF2 regions in the HEV genome and by phylogenetic analysis.
Specimens from eight (4%) of 200 purchased pig livers had detectable HEV RNA amounts. Sequence determination and phylogenetic analysis allowed two novel isolates to be classified as HEV genotype 3, subgenotype 3a (swR437) and 3c (swR269), respectively. Both novel swine HEV isolates showed high sequence homology to isolates obtained from patients with acute HEV infection from the same geographic region.
These results support the suggested role of undercooked pig products in food as a source of zoonotic HEV infection for humans. It remains to be clarified if this mechanism of transmission is responsible for the surprisingly high anti-HEV IgG prevalence recently observed in some European countries and the USA.
近年来，在发达国家，戊型肝炎病毒（HEV）已被确认为一种新兴的传染性肝炎病原体。与旅行相关的戊型肝炎不同，在欧洲，人们怀疑食源性感染的病原体是动物源性的。
由于猪是已知的 HEV 宿主，我们检测了在德国东南部销售的作为食品的猪肝脏中是否存在戊型肝炎病毒 RNA。
我们在德国雷根斯堡的 81 家肉店和杂货店购买了 200 份猪肝脏样本。通过定量实时 PCR（RT-qPCR）检测核酸制剂中是否存在 HEV RNA。对阳性样本的 HEV 分离株进行部分 ORF1 和 ORF2 区测序，并进行系统进化分析。
在购买的 200 份猪肝脏样本中，有 8 份（4%）检测到 HEV RNA 含量。序列测定和系统进化分析将两种新分离株分别归类为 HEV 基因型 3、亚基因型 3a（swR437）和 3c（swR269）。这两种新型猪源 HEV 分离株与同一地理区域急性 HEV 感染患者获得的分离株具有很高的序列同源性。
这些结果支持了未煮熟的猪产品在食物中作为人类动物源性 HEV 感染源的作用。目前尚不清楚这种传播机制是否是最近在一些欧洲国家和美国观察到的抗-HEV IgG 高流行率的原因。
