Hepatitis E Virus in the Food of Animal Origin: A Review

Overview

Journal Foodborne Pathog Dis

Specialties Microbiology
Nutritional Sciences
Parasitology

Date 2021 Mar 30

PMID 33784472

Citations 17

Authors

Gianluigi Ferri

Alberto Vergara

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a cosmopolitan foodborne pathogen. The viral agent infects humans through the consumption of contaminated food (uncooked or undercooked). Most cases of infection are asymptomatic and for this reason, this pathology is considered underdiagnosed. Domestic and wild animals are considered natural reservoirs: that is, domestic pig, wild boar, sheep, goat, deer, rabbit, and so on. Therefore, various work categories are at risk: that is, veterinarians, farmers, hunters, slaughterhouse workers, and so on. In these last decades, researchers found a high percentage of positivity to the molecular viral detection in several food matrices included: ready-to-eat products, processed meat products, milk, and shellfish. This review aims to provide an international scenario regarding HEV ribonucleic acid (RNA) detection in several foodstuffs. From this investigative perspective, the study aims to highlight various gaps of the current knowledge about technologies treatments' impact on viral loads. The purpose was also to provide an innovative point of view "One Health"-based, pointing out the strategic role of environmental safety.

Citing Articles

Uncovering the Prevalence and Genetic Characterization of Rabbit-Derived Paslahepevirus Balayani (Hepatitis E Virus) in Hebei Province, China.

Hu X, Wang J, Wang Y, Liu L, Miao J, Ren H Food Environ Virol. 2025; 17(1):20.

PMID: 40032702 DOI: 10.1007/s12560-025-09636-4.

Detection of Rocahepevirus ratti in Bivalve Mollusks from São Luís Island, Maranhão, Brazil: A Potential Transmission Route of an Emerging Zoonotic Pathogen?.

Figueiredo A, Negreiros I, do Nascimento E Silva A, Salgado C, Dos Santos N, Pinto M Food Environ Virol. 2025; 17(1):11.

PMID: 39754637 DOI: 10.1007/s12560-024-09624-0.

Zoonoses in dog and cat shelters in North-East Italy: update on emerging, neglected and known zoonotic agents.

Mazzotta E, Lucchese L, Corro M, Ceglie L, Danesi P, Capello K Front Vet Sci. 2024; 11:1490649.

PMID: 39664895 PMC: 11631924. DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1490649.

Changes in Hepatitis E Virus Contamination during the Production of Liver Sausage from Naturally Contaminated Pig Liver and the Potential of Individual Production Parameters to Reduce Hepatitis E Virus Contamination in the Processing Chain.

Hinrichs J, Kreitlow A, Siekmann L, Plotz M, Kemper N, Abdulmawjood A Pathogens. 2024; 13(4).

PMID: 38668229 PMC: 11053659. DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13040274.

Awareness, knowledge, disease prevention practices, and immunization attitude of hepatitis E virus among food handlers in Klang Valley, Malaysia.

Rajendiran S, Ping W, Veloo Y, Thahir S Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2024; 20(1):2318133.

PMID: 38433096 PMC: 10913695. DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2024.2318133.

References

Kamar N, Mansuy J, Cointault O, Selves J, Abravanel F, Danjoux M . Hepatitis E virus-related cirrhosis in kidney- and kidney-pancreas-transplant recipients. Am J Transplant. 2008; 8(8):1744-8. DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-6143.2008.02286.x. View

Prpic J, cerni S, Skoric D, Keros T, Brnic D, Cvetnic Z . Distribution and Molecular Characterization of Hepatitis E virus in Domestic Animals and Wildlife in Croatia. Food Environ Virol. 2015; 7(3):195-205. DOI: 10.1007/s12560-015-9193-5. View

Moor D, Liniger M, Baumgartner A, Felleisen R . Screening of Ready-to-Eat Meat Products for Hepatitis E Virus in Switzerland. Food Environ Virol. 2018; 10(3):263-271. PMC: 6096950. DOI: 10.1007/s12560-018-9340-x. View

Ricci A, Allende A, Bolton D, Chemaly M, Davies R, Fernandez Escamez P . Public health risks associated with hepatitis E virus (HEV) as a food-borne pathogen. EFSA J. 2020; 15(7):e04886. PMC: 7010180. DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2017.4886. View

Rivadulla E, Varela M, Mesquita J, Nascimento M, Romalde J . Detection of Hepatitis E Virus in Shellfish Harvesting Areas from Galicia (Northwestern Spain). Viruses. 2019; 11(7). PMC: 6669863. DOI: 10.3390/v11070618. View

Park W, Park B, Ahn H, Lee J, Park S, Song C . Hepatitis E virus as an emerging zoonotic pathogen. J Vet Sci. 2016; 17(1):1-11. PMC: 4808633. DOI: 10.4142/jvs.2016.17.1.1. View

Motte A, Roquelaure B, Galambrun C, Bernard F, Zandotti C, Colson P . Hepatitis E in three immunocompromized children in southeastern France. J Clin Virol. 2011; 53(2):162-6. DOI: 10.1016/j.jcv.2011.11.012. View

Lu L, Li C, Hagedorn C . Phylogenetic analysis of global hepatitis E virus sequences: genetic diversity, subtypes and zoonosis. Rev Med Virol. 2005; 16(1):5-36. DOI: 10.1002/rmv.482. View

Matsubayashi K, Kang J, Sakata H, Takahashi K, Shindo M, Kato M . A case of transfusion-transmitted hepatitis E caused by blood from a donor infected with hepatitis E virus via zoonotic food-borne route. Transfusion. 2008; 48(7):1368-75. DOI: 10.1111/j.1537-2995.2008.01722.x. View

10.

Villalba M, Cruz Martinez D, Ahmad I, Rodriguez Lay L, Corredor M, Guevara March C . Hepatitis E virus in bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus. Dis Aquat Organ. 2017; 123(1):13-18. DOI: 10.3354/dao03085. View

11.

Pires Goncalves Barreira D, Ferreira M, Fumian T, Checon R, de Sadovsky A, Leite J . Viral load and genotypes of noroviruses in symptomatic and asymptomatic children in Southeastern Brazil. J Clin Virol. 2009; 47(1):60-4. DOI: 10.1016/j.jcv.2009.11.012. View

12.

Pineda J, Cifuentes C, Parra M, Merchante N, Perez-Navarro E, Rivero-Juarez A . Incidence and natural history of hepatitis E virus coinfection among HIV-infected patients. AIDS. 2014; 28(13):1931-7. DOI: 10.1097/QAD.0000000000000378. View

13.

Bouwknegt M, Rutjes S, Reusken C, Stockhofe-Zurwieden N, Frankena K, de Jong M . The course of hepatitis E virus infection in pigs after contact-infection and intravenous inoculation. BMC Vet Res. 2009; 5:7. PMC: 2647918. DOI: 10.1186/1746-6148-5-7. View

14.

Wang J, Li N, Zhang H, Li F, Fanning S, Jiang T . Detection of Hepatitis E Virus in the Pig Livers and Retail Pork Samples Collected in Selected Cities in China. Foodborne Pathog Dis. 2020; 18(2):97-103. DOI: 10.1089/fpd.2020.2837. View

15.

Pavio N, Merbah T, Thebault A . Frequent hepatitis E virus contamination in food containing raw pork liver, France. Emerg Infect Dis. 2014; 20(11):1925-7. PMC: 4214317. DOI: 10.3201/eid2011.140891. View

16.

Montagnaro S, De Martinis C, Sasso S, Ciarcia R, Damiano S, Auletta L . Viral and Antibody Prevalence of Hepatitis E in European Wild Boars (Sus scrofa) and Hunters at Zoonotic Risk in the Latium Region. J Comp Pathol. 2015; 153(1):1-8. DOI: 10.1016/j.jcpa.2015.04.006. View

17.

Batts W, Yun S, Hedrick R, Winton J . A novel member of the family Hepeviridae from cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii). Virus Res. 2011; 158(1-2):116-23. DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2011.03.019. View

18.

Mesquita J, Santos-Ferreira N, Ferreira A, Albuquerque C, Nobrega C, Esteves F . Increased risk of hepatitis E virus infection in workers occupationally exposed to sheep. Transbound Emerg Dis. 2020; 67(5):1918-1921. DOI: 10.1111/tbed.13524. View

19.

Sayed I, Vercouter A, Abdelwahab S, Vercauteren K, Meuleman P . Is hepatitis E virus an emerging problem in industrialized countries?. Hepatology. 2015; 62(6):1883-92. DOI: 10.1002/hep.27990. View

20.

Alvarado-Esquivel C, Sanchez-Anguiano L, Hernandez-Tinoco J . Hepatitis E virus exposure in pregnant women in rural Durango, Mexico. Ann Hepatol. 2014; 13(5):510-7. View