Full-length genome of a novel genotype 3 hepatitis E virus strain obtained from domestic pigs in Japan

摘要: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) causes acute or chronic hepatitis in humans and can be transmitted via the fecal-oral route. Pigs are one of main reservoirs for this infection. Sixty pigs, 4-5 months age, on a swine herd Japan had detectable anti-HEV IgG antibodies, five (8.3%) them ongoing infection genotype 3 HEV. Five HEV strains obtained from viremic pigs shared 98.8-100% nucleotide identity, representative strain (swHE1606845), whose entire genomic sequence was determined study, differed by 14.1-19.6% reported subtypes 3a-3k 14.7-19.1% other have not yet been assigned. swHE1606845 showed higher p-distance value ≥0.143 with ≥0.152 unassigned subtypes. A SimPlot analysis revealed lack recombination events. These results indicate that is candidate member novel subtype 3. Further efforts to identify swHE1606845-like warranted clarify origin determine complete sequences two additional assigning new subtype.