Molecular Characterization and Seroprevalence of Hepatitis E Virus in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients and Solid Organ Transplant Recipients
Juozas Grigas,
Maria Montoya,
Evelina Simkute,
Marius Buitkus,
Ruta Zagrabskaite,
Arnoldas Pautienius,
Dainius Razukevicius,
Laimas Virginijus Jonaitis,
Gediminas Kiudelis,
Jurgita Skieceviciene,
Ruta Vaiciuniene,
Asta Stankuviene,
Inga Arune Bumblyte,
Juozas Kupcinskas,
Arunas Stankevicius
Affiliations
Juozas Grigas
Laboratory of Immunology, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilzes Str. 18, LT-47181 Kaunas, Lithuania
Maria Montoya
Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CIB-CSIC), Calle Ramiro de Maeztu, 9, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Evelina Simkute
Laboratory of Immunology, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilzes Str. 18, LT-47181 Kaunas, Lithuania
Marius Buitkus
Institute of Clinical Medicine, Vilnius University, M. K. Ciurlionio Str. 21/27, LT-03101 Vilnius, Lithuania
Ruta Zagrabskaite
Serology Unit, National Food and Veterinary Risk Assessment Institute, J. Kairiukscio Str. 10, LT-08409 Vilnius, Lithuania
Arnoldas Pautienius
Laboratory of Immunology, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilzes Str. 18, LT-47181 Kaunas, Lithuania
Dainius Razukevicius
Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Odontology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, A. Mickeviciaus Str. 9, LT-44307 Kaunas, Lithuania
Laimas Virginijus Jonaitis
Department of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Eiveniu Str. 2, LT-50161 Kaunas, Lithuania
Gediminas Kiudelis
Department of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Eiveniu Str. 2, LT-50161 Kaunas, Lithuania
Jurgita Skieceviciene
Department of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Eiveniu Str. 2, LT-50161 Kaunas, Lithuania
Ruta Vaiciuniene
Department of Nephrology, Faculty of Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Eiveniu Str. 2, LT-50161 Kaunas, Lithuania
Asta Stankuviene
Department of Nephrology, Faculty of Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Eiveniu Str. 2, LT-50161 Kaunas, Lithuania
Inga Arune Bumblyte
Department of Nephrology, Faculty of Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Eiveniu Str. 2, LT-50161 Kaunas, Lithuania
Juozas Kupcinskas
Department of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Eiveniu Str. 2, LT-50161 Kaunas, Lithuania
Arunas Stankevicius
Laboratory of Immunology, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilzes Str. 18, LT-47181 Kaunas, Lithuania
Seroprevalence rates and molecular characterization of hepatitis E virus (HEV) prevalent in the Lithuanian human population has not yet been evaluated. Immunosuppressed individuals have been recognized as a risk group for chronic hepatitis due to HEV genotype 3 (HEV-3) infections. The objectives of the present study were to determine prevalence rates of anti-HEV antibodies among inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients and solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients, to isolate and characterize HEV strain present in the Lithuanian human population, and to investigate its capacity to infect non-human primate (MARC-145 and Vero), swine (PK-15) and murine (Neuro-2a) cells in vitro. In the present study, the significant difference of anti-HEV IgG prevalence between healthy (3.0% (95% CI 0–6.3)) and immunosuppressed individuals (12.0% [95% CI 8.1–15.9]) was described. Moreover, our findings showed that anti-HEV IgG seropositivity can be significantly predicted by increasing age (OR = 1.032, p p < 0.01) and reception of SOT (OR = 4.042, <0.05). Locally isolated HEV strain clustered within genotype 3i subtype of genotype 3 and was capable of infecting MARC-145 cells. This study demonstrates higher HEV seroprevalence in the risk group compared to healthy control individuals without confidence interval overlap. The high level of genetic homology between human and animal strains in Lithuania and the capacity of locally isolated strains to infect cells of non-human origin suggests its potential for zoonotic transmission.
