Emerging Infectious Diseases (Aug 2012)

Hepatitis E Virus in Pork Production Chain in Czech Republic, Italy, and Spain, 2010

  • Ilaria Di Bartolo,
  • Marta Diez-Valcarce,
  • Petra Vasickova,
  • Petr Kralik,
  • Marta Hernandez,
  • Giorgia Angeloni,
  • Fabio Ostanello,
  • Martijn Bouwknegt,
  • David Rodríguez-Lázaro,
  • Ivo Pavlik,
  • Franco Maria Ruggeri

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3201/eid1808.111783
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 18, no. 8
pp. 1282 – 1289

Abstract

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We evaluated the prevalence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) in the pork production chain in Czech Republic, Italy, and Spain during 2010. A total of 337 fecal, liver, and meat samples from animals at slaughterhouses were tested for HEV by real-time quantitative PCR. Overall, HEV was higher in Italy (53%) and Spain (39%) than in Czech Republic (7.5%). HEV was detected most frequently in feces in Italy (41%) and Spain (39%) and in liver (5%) and meat (2.5%) in Czech Republic. Of 313 sausages sampled at processing and point of sale, HEV was detected only in Spain (6%). HEV sequencing confirmed only g3 HEV strains. Indicator virus (porcine adenovirus) was ubiquitous in fecal samples and absent in liver samples and was detected in 1 slaughterhouse meat sample. At point of sale, we found porcine adenovirus in sausages (1%–2%). The possible dissemination of HEV and other fecal viruses through pork production demands containment measures.

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