Surveillance of biologic sources of hepatitis E viruses
in community
MCW Chan, PKS Chan
Department of Microbiology, The Chinese University
of Hong Kong
1. Food-borne route may play a role in hepatitis E
virus (HEV) infection in Hong Kong.
2. HEV contamination is not uncommon in a variety of meat and seafood items for daily consumption.
3. HEV RNA was detected in pig liver, pig intestine, and oyster in local retail settings with a prevalence of 1.5%, 0.4%, and 0.2%, respectively.
4. Local co-circulating human and swine HEV strains were genetically indistinguishable from each other.
5. Local co-circulating human and swine HEV strains belonged to genotype 4 with highly comparable subtype distribution in which subtype 4b predominated over subtype 4d.
2. HEV contamination is not uncommon in a variety of meat and seafood items for daily consumption.
3. HEV RNA was detected in pig liver, pig intestine, and oyster in local retail settings with a prevalence of 1.5%, 0.4%, and 0.2%, respectively.
4. Local co-circulating human and swine HEV strains were genetically indistinguishable from each other.
5. Local co-circulating human and swine HEV strains belonged to genotype 4 with highly comparable subtype distribution in which subtype 4b predominated over subtype 4d.