Identification of hepatitis C virus in the common bed bug – a potential, but uncommon route for HCV infection?

Jiaxin Ling; Thomas Persson Vinnersten; Jenny C. Hesson; Jon Bohlin; Espen Roligheten; Edward C. Holmes; John H.-O. Pettersson

doi:10.1080/22221751.2020.1780950

Emerging Microbes and Infections (Jan 2020)

Identification of hepatitis C virus in the common bed bug – a potential, but uncommon route for HCV infection?

Jiaxin Ling,
Thomas Persson Vinnersten,
Jenny C. Hesson,
Jon Bohlin,
Espen Roligheten,
Edward C. Holmes,
John H.-O. Pettersson

Affiliations

Jiaxin Ling: Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Zoonosis Science Center, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
Thomas Persson Vinnersten: Anticimex, Stockholm, Sweden
Jenny C. Hesson: Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Zoonosis Science Center, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
Jon Bohlin: Infectious Disease Control and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
Espen Roligheten: Boligbygg, Oslo, Norway
Edward C. Holmes: School of Life and Environmental Sciences and School of Medical Sciences, Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
John H.-O. Pettersson: Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Zoonosis Science Center, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/22221751.2020.1780950
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 9, no. 1
pp. 1429 – 1431

Abstract

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ABSTRACTDuring an ongoing virome metagenomics project we identified hepatitis C virus (HCV) in a pool of recently blood-fed common bed bug (Cimex lectularius) nymphs sampled from domestic residences in Europe. Additional PCR and genomic analysis revealed that the virus was a member of HCV genotype 3A, one of the most prevalent genotypes in Europe. Although the role of the common bed bug in the transmission of human hepatitis viruses remains unclear, our study suggests that it merits additional investigation.

Published in Emerging Microbes and Infections

ISSN: 2222-1751 (Online)
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Group
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Infectious and parasitic diseases; Science: Microbiology
Website: https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/temi

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