Abstract
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a quasi-enveloped, positive-sense single stranded RNA virus. HEV continually expands the host ranges across animal species. In this study, the possibility of cross-species infection with swine HEV-3 was investigated using rabbits. A total of fourteen 8-week old, specific pathogen-free rabbits were divided into three experimental groups. Four rabbits were used as negative controls, four rabbits were infected with rabbit HEV as positive controls, and six rabbits were inoculated with swine HEV-3. HEV RNA were detected from serum and fecal samples after viral challenge. The levels of anti-HEV antibodies, pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1, IL-6, TNF-α and IFN-α), and liver enzymes (alanine and aspartate aminotransferases) were determined in serum samples. Histopathological lesions were examined in liver tissues. Viral RNA and anti-HEV antibodies were identified in rabbits inoculated with swine HEV-3 demonstrating positive infectivity of the virus. However, pro-inflammatory cytokine and liver enzyme levels in serum were not significantly elevated, and only mild inflammatory lesions were detected in the liver tissues of rabbits infected with swine HEV-3. These results suggest that swine HEV-3 can engage in cross-species transmission to rabbits, but causes only mild inflammation of the liver.
Highlights
Hepatitis E virus (HEV), of the family Hepeviridae, is a quasi-enveloped, positive-sense single stranded RNA virus with an approximately 7.2 kb-long genome [1]
Rabbits were divided into three experimental groups: a negative control with mock infection (n = 4), a positive control group infected with rabbit HEV (n = 4), and a cross-species transmission group infected with swine HEV-3 (n = 6)
These results indicate that swine HEV-3 induces production of anti-HEV antibodies from rabbits
Summary
Hepatitis E virus (HEV), of the family Hepeviridae, is a quasi-enveloped, positive-sense single stranded RNA virus with an approximately 7.2 kb-long genome [1]. HEV infection is a major public health concern, worldwide. HEV infection usually causes acute hepatitis with self-limiting outcomes [2]. Chronic hepatitis cases have been reported in immune-compromised individuals, such as human immunodeficiency virus-1 patients, solid organ transplant recipients, and patients with hematological malignancies who are infected with HEV-3 [3,4,5,6]. The mortality rate in HEV infection is relatively low (
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