Prevalence, Genetic Diversity, and Quantification of the RNA Genome of the Hepatitis E Virus in Slaughtered Pigs in Serbia
The goal of this study conducted in Serbia was to detect HEV in pig liver samples from slaughterhouses, retail outlets, and environmental swabs over the course of a year. All positive HEV samples were measured and expressed as HEV gene copy numbers per gram of sample, and a representative number of...
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MDPI AG
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/4/586 |
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| author | Lazar Milojević Branko Velebit Vesna Janković Radmila Mitrović Nikola Betić Sara Simunović Mirjana Dimitrijević |
| author_facet | Lazar Milojević Branko Velebit Vesna Janković Radmila Mitrović Nikola Betić Sara Simunović Mirjana Dimitrijević |
| author_sort | Lazar Milojević |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The goal of this study conducted in Serbia was to detect HEV in pig liver samples from slaughterhouses, retail outlets, and environmental swabs over the course of a year. All positive HEV samples were measured and expressed as HEV gene copy numbers per gram of sample, and a representative number of samples were sequenced using the Sanger approach. A total of 45 HEV-positive samples were re-amplified using nested RT-PCR employing CODEHOP primers targeting ORF2 (493 nucleotides). The average prevalence of the HEV genotype 3 in all pig liver samples from the slaughterhouses was 29%, while HEV prevalence was 44% in liver samples from animals younger than 3 months. HEV RNA was found in thirteen out of sixty (22%) environmental swab samples that were taken from different surfaces along the slaughter line. Our findings confirmed seasonal patterns in HEV prevalence, with two picks (summer and winter periods) during the one-year examination. Among HEV-positive samples, the average viral particles for all positive liver samples was 4.41 ± 1.69 log<sub>10</sub> genome copies per gram. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the majority of HEV strains (43/45) from Serbia were grouped in the HEV-3a subtype, while two strains were classified into the HEV-3c subtype, and one strain could not be classified into any of the HEV-3 subtypes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T22:46:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fad368ed69934f9ca43fb3c958bf931a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T22:46:11Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-fad368ed69934f9ca43fb3c958bf931a2024-02-23T15:04:44ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152024-02-0114458610.3390/ani14040586Prevalence, Genetic Diversity, and Quantification of the RNA Genome of the Hepatitis E Virus in Slaughtered Pigs in SerbiaLazar Milojević0Branko Velebit1Vesna Janković2Radmila Mitrović3Nikola Betić4Sara Simunović5Mirjana Dimitrijević6Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Kaćanskog 13, 11040 Belgrade, SerbiaInstitute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Kaćanskog 13, 11040 Belgrade, SerbiaInstitute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Kaćanskog 13, 11040 Belgrade, SerbiaInstitute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Kaćanskog 13, 11040 Belgrade, SerbiaInstitute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Kaćanskog 13, 11040 Belgrade, SerbiaInstitute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Kaćanskog 13, 11040 Belgrade, SerbiaFaculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bulevar Oslobođenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, SerbiaThe goal of this study conducted in Serbia was to detect HEV in pig liver samples from slaughterhouses, retail outlets, and environmental swabs over the course of a year. All positive HEV samples were measured and expressed as HEV gene copy numbers per gram of sample, and a representative number of samples were sequenced using the Sanger approach. A total of 45 HEV-positive samples were re-amplified using nested RT-PCR employing CODEHOP primers targeting ORF2 (493 nucleotides). The average prevalence of the HEV genotype 3 in all pig liver samples from the slaughterhouses was 29%, while HEV prevalence was 44% in liver samples from animals younger than 3 months. HEV RNA was found in thirteen out of sixty (22%) environmental swab samples that were taken from different surfaces along the slaughter line. Our findings confirmed seasonal patterns in HEV prevalence, with two picks (summer and winter periods) during the one-year examination. Among HEV-positive samples, the average viral particles for all positive liver samples was 4.41 ± 1.69 log<sub>10</sub> genome copies per gram. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the majority of HEV strains (43/45) from Serbia were grouped in the HEV-3a subtype, while two strains were classified into the HEV-3c subtype, and one strain could not be classified into any of the HEV-3 subtypes.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/4/586foodborne viruseshepatitis E viruszoonosisslaughterhouseSerbia |
| spellingShingle | Lazar Milojević Branko Velebit Vesna Janković Radmila Mitrović Nikola Betić Sara Simunović Mirjana Dimitrijević Prevalence, Genetic Diversity, and Quantification of the RNA Genome of the Hepatitis E Virus in Slaughtered Pigs in Serbia Animals foodborne viruses hepatitis E virus zoonosis slaughterhouse Serbia |
| title | Prevalence, Genetic Diversity, and Quantification of the RNA Genome of the Hepatitis E Virus in Slaughtered Pigs in Serbia |
| title_full | Prevalence, Genetic Diversity, and Quantification of the RNA Genome of the Hepatitis E Virus in Slaughtered Pigs in Serbia |
| title_fullStr | Prevalence, Genetic Diversity, and Quantification of the RNA Genome of the Hepatitis E Virus in Slaughtered Pigs in Serbia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prevalence, Genetic Diversity, and Quantification of the RNA Genome of the Hepatitis E Virus in Slaughtered Pigs in Serbia |
| title_short | Prevalence, Genetic Diversity, and Quantification of the RNA Genome of the Hepatitis E Virus in Slaughtered Pigs in Serbia |
| title_sort | prevalence genetic diversity and quantification of the rna genome of the hepatitis e virus in slaughtered pigs in serbia |
| topic | foodborne viruses hepatitis E virus zoonosis slaughterhouse Serbia |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/4/586 |
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