School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, CIBUS-Faculty of Biology, Cross-Disciplinary Research Center in Environmental Technologies (CRETUS), Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
Food Environ Virol. 2024 Dec;16(4):516-524. doi: 10.1007/s12560-024-09612-4. Epub 2024 Sep 5.
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is currently recognized as an emerging problem and a growing concern for public health in developed countries, with HEV infections mainly attributable to foodborne transmission of HEV-3. The zoonotic HEV genotype 3 infects a wide range of mammalian hosts, with swine considered as the primary host. This study investigates the occurrence of HEV among small ruminants in Portugal. The primary aim of the present research was to evaluate the circulation and the potential for HEV infection among sheep and goats. A total of 400 bile samples and 493 blood samples were collected from sheep and goats at a slaughterhouse in the center region of Portugal, between January 2022 and March 2023. The HEV RNA detection in bile samples was performed using a nested broad-spectrum RT-PCR targeting the ORF1 region. Serological analysis to detect anti-HEV antibodies was conducted using a commercial double-antigen sandwich multi-species ELISA. The HEV RNA was not detected in any bile samples using the nested broad-spectrum RT-PCR. Serological analysis revealed an overall HEV antibody seroprevalence of 2% (10/493, 95% CI: 0.98-3.70) among the small ruminants, namely 2.2% in goats and 2.0% in sheep. Curiously, no statistically significant association among the factors, age, sex and species and HEV seroprevalence was observed. Although HEV RNA was not detected in the bile of sheep and goats, this study the evidence of seroprevalence in these small ruminant species. Further research could provide additional insights into the factors influencing HEV transmission dynamics in small ruminants in Portugal and its potential implications for public health.
戊型肝炎病毒（HEV）目前被认为是发达国家公共卫生领域的一个新出现的问题和日益关注的问题，HEV 感染主要归因于 HEV-3 的食源性传播。人畜共患的 HEV 基因型 3 感染范围广泛的哺乳动物宿主，猪被认为是主要宿主。本研究调查了葡萄牙中小反刍动物中 HEV 的发生情况。本研究的主要目的是评估绵羊和山羊中 HEV 的循环和潜在感染情况。2022 年 1 月至 2023 年 3 月，在葡萄牙中部地区的一个屠宰场，共采集了 400 份绵羊和山羊的胆汁样本和 493 份血液样本。使用针对 ORF1 区的巢式广谱 RT-PCR 检测胆汁样本中的 HEV RNA。使用商业双抗原夹心多物种 ELISA 检测抗 HEV 抗体的血清学分析。巢式广谱 RT-PCR 未在任何胆汁样本中检测到 HEV RNA。血清学分析显示，中小反刍动物的 HEV 抗体总血清阳性率为 2%（10/493，95%CI：0.98-3.70），其中山羊为 2.2%，绵羊为 2.0%。有趣的是，在这些因素、年龄、性别和物种与 HEV 血清阳性率之间没有观察到统计学上的显著关联。尽管在绵羊和山羊的胆汁中未检测到 HEV RNA，但本研究证明了这些小反刍动物种属中存在血清阳性率。进一步的研究可以提供更多关于影响葡萄牙中小反刍动物 HEV 传播动态及其对公共卫生潜在影响的因素的见解。
