First Report of Hepatitis E Virus in Shellfish in Southeast Italy

Gianfranco La Bella,Elisabetta Suffredini,Giovanna La Salandra,Gaia Nobili,Maria Grazia Basanisi,Valentina Terio

doi:10.3390/app11010043

Abstract

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) represents one of the principal causative agents of hepatitis globally. Among the five HEV genotypes affecting humans, genotypes 3 and 4 are zoonotic and are the main source of hepatitis E in developed countries. HEV has been detected in several foods. The present work investigated the presence of this virus in shellfish sold at retail in the Apulia region of Italy. The presence of HEV RNA was assessed by real-time RT-PCR in 225 shellfish samples collected during 2018. Overall, two (0.89%) of these samples tested positive for HEV RNA. To our knowledge, this is the first notification of the detection of HEV in mussels sold at retail in the Apulia region. These data highlight the potential role of shellfish as a vehicle for the transmission of viral pathogens.

Highlights

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) represents one of the principal causative agents of hepatitis globally [1] and it is considered an emergent issue in industrialized regions, where transmission by contaminated food plays a key role [2]
The human viruses HEV-1 and HEV-2 genotypes are highly endemic in developing regions, including various regions of Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Mexico, and are diffused through contaminated water
The two HEV positive samples originated from two distinct locations, with the mussel sample taken in the northern part of Apulia and the oyster sample taken in the southern part of Apulia

Summary

Introduction

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) represents one of the principal causative agents of hepatitis globally [1] and it is considered an emergent issue in industrialized regions, where transmission by contaminated food plays a key role [2]. Five of the eight genotypes of Orthohepevirus A (HEV-1, 2, 3, 4, and 7) infect humans [4]. All HEV genotypes belong to a single serotype [5]. The human viruses HEV-1 and HEV-2 genotypes are highly endemic in developing regions, including various regions of Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Mexico, and are diffused through contaminated water. These viruses are accountable for a great number of outbreaks and cause severe hepatitis during pregnancy [6]. Genotypes 3 and 4 are revealed in both animals and humans and are the principal causes of hepatitis E in humans in several developed countries [7]

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Results

Conclusion