Evidence that Rodents Are a Reservoir of Hepatitis E Virus for Humans in Nepal

摘要: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an important cause of enterically transmitted hepatitis in developing countries. Sporadic autochthonous cases have been reported recently the United States and other industrialized The source HEV infection these unknown; zoonotic transmission has suggested. Antibodies to detected many animals areas where endemic domestic swine rats States. There evidence supporting between humans. Nevertheless, not wild rodents. We tested murid rodents house shrews trapped Nepal's Kathmandu Valley, hyperendemic, for infection. most commonly species was Rattus rattus brunneusculus. Serum samples from 675 were immunoglobulin G against by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; 78 (12%) positive, indicating acute or past Antibody prevalence higher among R. brunneusculus Bandicota bengalensis than Suncus murinus. Forty-four specimens antibody-positive had sufficient residual volume detection RNA (viremia) reverse transcription-PCR. PCR amplification four (9%; three one B. bengalensis) with viremia. Phylogenetic analysis genome sequences (405 bp capsid gene) recovered showed that they identical, closely related two human isolates Nepal (95 96% nucleotide homology, respectively), distinct isolated elsewhere. These data prove certain peridomestic acquire suggest cross-species occurs, serving as a reservoir