Abstract
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the main course for acute hepatitis in humans throughout the world. Human associated genotypes 1 and 2 as well as zoonotic genotypes 3 and 4 are grouped in the species Orthohepevirus A. In addition, a large variety of HEV-related viruses has been found in vertebrates including carnivores, rats, bats, and chickens, which were classified in species Orthohepevirus B-D. In 2015, partial genome sequences of a novel hepevirus were detected in feces of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes). However, no further information about virus circulation and the prevalence in foxes was available. We therefore assayed a unique panel of 880 transudates, which was collected from red foxes over 19 years (1993–2012) in Brandenburg, Germany, for HEV-related viral RNA and antibodies. Our results demonstrate a high antibody prevalence of HEV in red foxes, which oscillated annually between 40 and 100%. Molecular screening of the transudates revealed only a single RNA-positive sample, which was assigned to the carnivore species Orthohepevirus C based on the amplified partial sequence. These data indicate that the virus is circulating widely in the fox population and that foxes are carriers of this virus.
Highlights
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a member of the genus Orthohepevirus of the Hepeviridae family and causes acute liver diseases in humans
The human associated as well as zoonotic genotypes are grouped into the species Orthohepevirus A, which includes a total of 8 genotypes, originating from pig, wild boar, rabbit, and camel species
Orthohepevirus B consists of avian hepatitis E virus species causing the “splenomegaly syndrome” as well as the “big liver and spleen disease” in poultry, whereas Orthohepevirus C viruses were isolated from rodents and carnivores
Summary
HEV is a member of the genus Orthohepevirus of the Hepeviridae family and causes acute liver diseases in humans. The human associated as well as zoonotic genotypes are grouped into the species Orthohepevirus A, which includes a total of 8 genotypes, originating from pig, wild boar, rabbit, and camel species. Orthohepevirus B consists of avian hepatitis E virus species causing the “splenomegaly syndrome” as well as the “big liver and spleen disease” in poultry, whereas Orthohepevirus C viruses were isolated from rodents (rats voles and shrew) and carnivores (such as ferrets, HEV in Foxes mink and foxes). HEV from bats are classed in the species Orthohepevirus D. Fish-related HEV belongs to genus Piscihepevirus (Spahr et al, 2018)
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