Virology Department, Centre Pasteur of Cameroon, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
Food Environ Virol. 2023 Sep;15(3):255-261. doi: 10.1007/s12560-023-09562-3. Epub 2023 Aug 9.
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) represents an important public health concern in many developing countries, including Africa. Transmission of HEV to humans by contaminated drinking water is the most important mode of transmission in low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to assess the presence of HEV in the environment in Cameroon through molecular analysis of sewage samples. Retrospectively, a total of 157 sewage samples collected between January 2018 and December 2019 were randomly selected and analyzed by molecular techniques to detect and characterize the HEV followed by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Three samples (1.9%) collected from North, Far North, and Adamawa regions were positive by real-time reverse transcription polymerization chain reaction. Among these, 2 samples were positive for HEV ribonucleic acid by nested reverse transcription polymerization chain reaction and only one yielded a good sequencing product. Phylogenetic analysis of this unique HEV strain showed that this HEV strain belonged to genotype 3, subtype 3a, and clustered with swine HEV strains from Cameroon, Argentina, and the USA. This study provides preliminary data on the circulation of HEV in wastewater in Cameroon. Further studies will be needed to assess the overall situation in Cameroon.
戊型肝炎病毒 (HEV) 在包括非洲在内的许多发展中国家是一个重要的公共卫生关注点。在中低收入国家，经污染饮用水传播给人类是 HEV 的最重要传播方式。本研究旨在通过对污水样本的分子分析，评估 HEV 在喀麦隆环境中的存在情况。本研究回顾性地选取了 2018 年 1 月至 2019 年 12 月期间收集的共 157 份污水样本，通过分子技术进行检测和特征分析，以检测和表征 HEV，随后进行测序和系统发育分析。实时逆转录聚合酶链反应检测结果显示，来自北部、极北部和阿达马瓦地区的 3 份样本（1.9%）呈阳性。其中，2 份样本通过巢式逆转录聚合酶链反应检测到 HEV 核糖核酸呈阳性，只有 1 份样本产生了良好的测序产物。该独特 HEV 株的系统发育分析表明，该 HEV 株属于 3 型、3a 亚型，与来自喀麦隆、阿根廷和美国的猪 HEV 株聚类。本研究提供了 HEV 在喀麦隆废水中循环的初步数据。需要进一步研究来评估喀麦隆的整体情况。
