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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, April 2005, p. 1684-1688, Vol. 43, No. 4
0095-1137/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.43.4.1684-1688.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Identification of Genotype 3 Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) in Serum and Fecal Samples from Pigs in Thailand and Mexico, Where Genotype 1 and 2 HEV Strains Are Prevalent in the Respective Human Populations

K. Cooper,1 F. F. Huang,1 L. Batista,2 C. D. Rayo,3 J. C. Bezanilla,4 T. E. Toth,1 and X. J. Meng1*

Center for Molecular Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061-0342,1 Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montreal, St-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada,2 Centro de Diagnostico Integral, Instituto Technologico de Sonora-UGRPS, Sonora, Mexico,3 Investigacion Aplicada, S.A. de C.V., Laboratorio de Biologia, Tehuacan, Puebla, Mexico4

Received 18 October 2004/ Returned for modification 13 December 2004/ Accepted 16 December 2004

Hepatitis E virus (HEV), the causative agent of hepatitis E, is an important public health concern in many developing countries. Increasing evidence indicates that hepatitis E is a zoonotic disease. There exist four major genotypes of HEV, and HEV isolates identified in samples from pigs belong to either genotype 3 or 4. Genotype 1 and 2 HEVs are found exclusively in humans. To determine whether genotype 1 and 2 HEVs also exist in pigs, a universal reverse transcription-PCR assay that is capable of detecting all four HEV genotypes was used to test for the presence of HEV RNA in serum and/or fecal samples from pigs in Thailand, where genotype 1 human HEV is prevalent, and from pigs in Mexico, where genotype 2 human HEV was epidemic. In Thailand, swine HEV RNA was detected in sera from 10/26 pigs of 2 to 4 months of age but not in sera from 50 pigs of other ages. In Mexico, swine HEV RNA was detected in 8/125 sera and 28/92 fecal samples from 2- to 4-month-old pigs. Antibodies to swine HEV were also detected in about 81% of the Mexican pigs. A total of 44 swine HEV isolates were sequenced for the open reading frame 2 gene region. Sequence analyses revealed that all swine HEV isolates identified in samples from pigs in Thailand and Mexico belong to genotype 3. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that minor branches associated with geographic origin exist among the swine HEV isolates. The results indicated that genotype 1 or 2 swine HEV does not exist in pigs from countries where the respective human HEV genotype 1 or 2 is prevalent. It is likely that only genotype 3 and 4 HEV strains have zoonotic potential.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Center for Molecular Medicine and Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institutes and State University, 1410 Price's Fork Road, Blacksburg, VA 24061. Phone: (540) 231-6912. Fax: (540) 231-3426. E-mail: xjmeng{at}vt.edu.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, April 2005, p. 1684-1688, Vol. 43, No. 4
0095-1137/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.43.4.1684-1688.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



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