The high prevalence of hepatitis E virus infection in wild boars in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan

Takumi MOTOYA; Noriko NAGATA; Harumi KOMORI; Ikuko DOI; Miho KUROSAWA; Toshimasa KETA; Nobuya SASAKI; Koji ISHII

doi:10.1292/jvms.15-0173

Public Health

The high prevalence of hepatitis E virus infection in wild boars in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan

Takumi MOTOYA, Noriko NAGATA, Harumi KOMORI, Ikuko DOI, Miho KUROSAWA, Toshimasa KETA, Nobuya SASAKI, Koji ISHII

Author information

Takumi MOTOYA
Ibaraki Prefectural Institute of Public Health, 993–2 Kasahara-cho, Mito, Ibaraki 310–0852, Japan
Laboratory of Laboratory Animal Science and Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kitasato University, Higashi 23–35–1, Towada, Aomori 034–8628, Japan
Noriko NAGATA
Ibaraki Prefectural Institute of Public Health, 993–2 Kasahara-cho, Mito, Ibaraki 310–0852, Japan
Harumi KOMORI
Ibaraki Prefectural Institute of Public Health, 993–2 Kasahara-cho, Mito, Ibaraki 310–0852, Japan
Ikuko DOI
Ibaraki Prefectural Institute of Public Health, 993–2 Kasahara-cho, Mito, Ibaraki 310–0852, Japan
Miho KUROSAWA
Ibaraki Prefectural Institute of Public Health, 993–2 Kasahara-cho, Mito, Ibaraki 310–0852, Japan
Toshimasa KETA
Ibaraki Prefectural Institute of Public Health, 993–2 Kasahara-cho, Mito, Ibaraki 310–0852, Japan
Nobuya SASAKI
Laboratory of Laboratory Animal Science and Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kitasato University, Higashi 23–35–1, Towada, Aomori 034–8628, Japan
Koji ISHII
Department of Virology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 4–7–1 Gakuen, Musashimurayama, Tokyo 208–0011, Japan

Keywords: ELISA, genotype, hepatitis E virus, phylogenetic analysis, wild boar

JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

2015 Volume 77 Issue 12 Pages 1705-1709

DOI https://doi.org/10.1292/jvms.15-0173

Browse “Advance online publication” version

Details

Abstract

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is known as a causative agent of zoonosis and food poisoning. Pigs and some species of wild animals, including wild boar, are known to be a reservoir of HEV. In this study, we investigated the situation regarding HEV infection in wild boars in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. Serum, liver and feces samples from 68 animals were collected, and the presence or absence of HEV genomic RNA and HEV antibodies were analyzed. The viral genome was detected in samples from 7 (10.3%) animals, with all HEVs classified as genotype 3, subtype 3b. HEV antibodies were detected in samples from 28 (41%) animals. This report demonstrates for the first time the high prevalence of HEV infection in wild boars in Ibaraki Prefecture.

Corresponding author

Register with J-STAGE for free!