Reuter Gábor, Boros Ákos, Mátics Róbert, Kapusinszky Beatrix, Delwart Eric, Pankovics Péter
Regional Laboratory of Virology, National Reference Laboratory of Gastroenteric Viruses, ÁNTSZ Regional Institute of State Public Health Service, Pécs, Hungary, University of Pécs Medical Center, Pécs, Hungary.
Regional Laboratory of Virology, National Reference Laboratory of Gastroenteric Viruses, ÁNTSZ Regional Institute of State Public Health Service, Pécs, Hungary, University of Pécs Medical Center, Pécs, Hungary.
Infect Genet Evol. 2016 Sep;43:343-6. doi: 10.1016/j.meegid.2016.06.013. Epub 2016 Jun 6.
Hepatitis E virus (HEV), family Hepeviridae, has raised considerable public health concerns because of its zoonotic potential; however, the animal to animal transmissions and the natural chain of hepevirus infections in wildlife are less known. Using random amplification and next generation sequencing technology a novel HEV in birds of prey was serendipitously identified in Hungary. HEV RNA was detected in total of 2 (18%) of the 11 and 1 (14%) of the 7 faecal samples from common kestrels and red-footed falcons, respectively. High faecal viral load (2.03×10(8) genomic copies/ml) measured by qPCR. The complete genome of strain kestrel/MR22/2014/HUN (KU670940) HEV is 7033-nt long including a 35-nt 5'end and a 63-nt 3'end (excluding the poly(A)-tail). Sequence analyses indicated that the ORF1 (4920nt/639 aa), ORF2 (1989nt/662 aa) and ORF3 (360nt/119aa) proteins of kestrel/MR22/2014/HUN shared the highest identity (58.1%, 66.8% and 28.5%) to the corresponding proteins of ferret, rat and human genotype 4 Orthohepeviruses, respectively. Interestingly, the ORF3 protein is potentially initiated with leucine (L) using an alternate, non-AUG (UUG) start codon. This study reports the identification and complete genome characterization of a novel Orthohepevirus species related to mammalian HEVs in birds of prey. It is important to recognize all potential hosts, reservoirs and spreaders in nature and to reconstruct the phylogenetic history of hepeviruses.
戊型肝炎病毒（HEV）属于戊肝病毒科，因其人畜共患病潜力引发了相当大的公共卫生关注；然而，野生动物中戊肝病毒的动物间传播以及自然感染链却鲜为人知。在匈牙利，利用随机扩增和下一代测序技术意外地在猛禽中发现了一种新型戊型肝炎病毒。分别在11份普通红隼粪便样本中的2份（18%）和7份红脚隼粪便样本中的1份（14%）检测到了戊型肝炎病毒RNA。通过定量聚合酶链反应（qPCR）测得粪便病毒载量很高（2.03×10⁸基因组拷贝/毫升）。红隼/MR22/2014/HUN株戊型肝炎病毒（KU670940）的完整基因组长度为7033个核苷酸，包括35个核苷酸的5'端和63个核苷酸的3'端（不包括聚腺苷酸尾）。序列分析表明，红隼/MR22/2014/HUN的开放阅读框1（ORF1，4920个核苷酸/639个氨基酸）、开放阅读框2（ORF2，1989个核苷酸/662个氨基酸）和开放阅读框3（ORF3，360个核苷酸/119个氨基酸）蛋白与雪貂、大鼠和人类4型正戊肝病毒的相应蛋白分别具有最高的同一性（58.1%、66.8%和28.5%）。有趣的是，开放阅读框3蛋白可能使用一个替代的非AUG（UUG）起始密码子以亮氨酸（L）起始。本研究报告了一种与哺乳动物戊型肝炎病毒相关的新型正戊肝病毒物种在猛禽中的鉴定及完整基因组特征。认识自然界中所有潜在的宿主、储存宿主和传播者以及重建戊肝病毒的系统发育史很重要。
