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Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland)
Oct 26, 2022;11 (11):

Hepatitis E Virus (HEV): Identification of Subtypes 3b and 3m in Wild Boar Population in Liguria Region, Italy.

Roberta Battistini, Laura Serracca, Elisabetta Razzuoli, Valeria Listorti, Lisa Guardone, Monica Dellepiane, Nicola Pussini, Francesco Brunelli, Simone Peletto, Chiara Beltramo, Carlo Ercolini, Chiara Masotti
Author Information
  1. Roberta Battistini: Department of La Spezia, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Via degli Stagnoni 96, 19100 La Spezia, Italy. ORCID
  2. Laura Serracca: Department of La Spezia, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Via degli Stagnoni 96, 19100 La Spezia, Italy.
  3. Elisabetta Razzuoli: Department of Genoa, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Piazza Borgo Pila 39/24, 16129 Genoa, Italy. ORCID
  4. Valeria Listorti: Department of Genoa, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Piazza Borgo Pila 39/24, 16129 Genoa, Italy. ORCID
  5. Lisa Guardone: Department of Genoa, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Piazza Borgo Pila 39/24, 16129 Genoa, Italy. ORCID
  6. Monica Dellepiane: Department of Savona, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Via Martiri 6, 17056 Savona, Italy.
  7. Nicola Pussini: Department of Imperia, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Via Nizza 4, 18100 Imperia, Italy.
  8. Francesco Brunelli: Department of Imperia, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Via Nizza 4, 18100 Imperia, Italy.
  9. Simone Peletto: Department of Turin, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Via Bologna 148, 10154 Turin, Italy. ORCID
  10. Chiara Beltramo: Department of Turin, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Via Bologna 148, 10154 Turin, Italy.
  11. Carlo Ercolini: Department of La Spezia, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Via degli Stagnoni 96, 19100 La Spezia, Italy. ORCID
  12. Chiara Masotti: Department of La Spezia, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Via degli Stagnoni 96, 19100 La Spezia, Italy. ORCID
PMID: 36364986 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11111236

Abstract

The wild boar is an important natural reservoir for the zoonotic transmission of the hepatitis E virus (HEV) around the world. In particular, HEV genotypes 3 and 4 are an emerging problem in industrialized countries, as the number of wild boars has increased, and their territory is ever closer to farms and populated areas. This study describes the HEV prevalence and geographic circulation among wild boar populations in the Ligurian region (Italy) during the period 2019-2022. Liver samples from 849 wild boars were analyzed for HEV RNA using real-time RT-PCR; positive samples were then subjected to sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Overall, 6.7% of the wild boars were positive for HEV RNA; however, in the last two years, the percentage of positive animals almost doubled. Phylogenetic analysis showed that wild boar HEV sequences belonged to genotype 3 and clustered within subtypes 3a and 3c, and, for the first time in Italy, subtypes 3b and 3m were identified. Interestingly, 13 sequences could not be assigned to a recognized subtype. Furthermore, the results showed different circulations of identified subtypes across the territory. These findings increase the knowledge of HEV-3 heterogeneity in Italy and describe the role of wild boars in maintaining an active viral circulation in the environment.

Keywords

HEV genotype 3 hepatitis E virus phylogeny wild boar zoonoses

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Grants

  1. 20ALA/Ligurian Region, Italy
Journal Article

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