J Vet Sci.  2007 Mar;8(1):51-55. 10.4142/jvs.2007.8.1.51.

Detection of swine hepatitis E virus in the porcine hepatic lesion in Jeju Island

• Lee SH
• Kang SC
• Kim DY
• Bae JH
• Kim JH

• KMID: 1104236
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4142/jvs.2007.8.1.51

Abstract

Swine hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an emerging zoonotic pathogen due to its close genomic similarity to human HEV. The prevalence of swine HEV in the hepatic lesion of pigs from the Jeju Island was investigated by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). In total, 40 pigs with hepatitis lesions were selected from 19 different farms, based on examination by microscopy. RTPCR findings revealed swine HEV in 22 cases (55%), including 18 suckling pigs and 4 growing pigs. Several histopathological lesions, including multifocal lymphoplasmacytic hepatitis, portal inflammation, and focal hepatocellular necrosis, were observed in liver sections of swine HEV PCR-positive pigs. The present study suggests that the prevalence of swine HEV is very high in the pig population in Jeju Island, and that pigs are infected at early stages of growth (under 2 months of age). The high prevalence of swine HEV in pigs in Jeju Island and the ability of this virus to infect across species puts people with swine-associated occupations at possible risk of zoonotic infection.

Keyword

Jeju Island; liver; pig; RT-PCR; swine hepatitis E virus

MeSH Terms

Animals
DNA Primers
Hepatitis E/epidemiology/pathology/*veterinary
Hepatitis E virus/*genetics
Korea/epidemiology
Liver/pathology
Prevalence
Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
Swine
Swine Diseases/*epidemiology/*virology
Zoonoses/*epidemiology

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Liver of swine HEV positive pig with scattered yellowish discoloration foci (white arrows).

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  Fig. 2 Liver of swine HEV positive pig with mild lymphoplasmacytic infiltration in hepatic sinusoids and portal triad. H&E stain. × 100.

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  Fig. 3 Liver of swine HEV positive pig. There is severe lymphoplasmacytic hepatitis in sinusoid and peri-portal area. H&E stain. × 200.

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  Fig. 4 Nested PCR products of swine HEV from liver homogenate. Lane M: 100 bp DNA ladder; lane 1-4: 266 bp field samples; lane 5: SHEV positive control; lane 6: SHEV negative control.

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